SK Zadruga Aich/Dob is Austrian Volley Cup champion for the second time in the club’s history!
They secured the title against TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg on Saturday evening, beating the finals hosts in just three sets (25:22, 25:23, 25:15) in the Stadtwerke Hartberg Halle, which was full-packed with more than 2,000 volleyball fans.
Moreover, this was their first success over the Styrians this season, as in the Powerfusion Volley League regular season, Aich/Dob suffered two defeats in two games played.
Hartberg tried to claim their third cup title after 2007 and 2013 in front of a fantastic home crowd, but the rivals played an excellent game from the start, showing an impressive blocking performance and also in attack.
The second set was the most balanced, played point-to-point until 23:23 but, after an error from the service line and another in attack of the hosts, Lucio Antonio Oro’s side was able to close it with the minimum gap.
In third set Aich/Dob kept the service pressure high, took an impressive 16-9 lead to close the game a few minutes later.
Top scorers among the winners were Aich/Dob Kristof Horvath (14), Angelos Mandilaris (13) and Miguel Sinfonio (10) while, on the other side of the net, Lukas Glatz (15), Đorđe Knezevic (10) and Maximilian Steinböck (6). ÖVV President Gernot Leitner awarded Aich/Dob setter Julio Antonio Gomez, who contributed with six aces to the victory, as final MVP.
Aich/Dob libero Jacob Kitzinger: “We are really happy that many fans came here and that we won the game. The coach developed a great tactic, we stuck to it and took advantage of the atmosphere here.”
Aich/Dob spiker Noel Krassnig: “I am extremely happy. An incredible feeling. It was clear to us that it would be extremely loud here and that it would be extremely difficult. In the end it was enough to win.”
Aich/Dobs sporting director Martin Micheu: “We played a top performance. Although we also had nervous phases. Sensational atmosphere in this cauldron. That was a top organization and a top game. A great thing for Austria’s volleyball. The victory is important for the club, we are now firmly in the European Cup.”
Hartberg setter Max Thaller: “The pressure was definitely great, but that wasn’t the reason for the defeat. Aich/Dob played a great game and everything worked out for them. But it was great against this backdrop. 2000 fans in Hartberg! Don’t forget, for many it was their first final. I’m not sad at all because Aich/Dob was better today. But you can see what is possible in Hartberg.”
Hartberg captain Max Steinböck: “The last sentence was clear, in the first and second there were little things that were missing.”
Hartberg head coach Markus Hirczy: “We have to acknowledge without envy that Aich/Dob played the way we wanted, offensively with great service pressure. You have to congratulate the opponent, but we also had our opportunities. Over-motivated might be the right word for us today. Now it’s all about learning for our young team. In the championship we are fully on track in the quarter-finals. A lot is still possible for us this year.”
The Austrian Volley Cup Women Champion 2024 is TI-Schuh-Staudinger-volley. The team from Innsbruck won the final against ATSC Kelag Wildcats Klagenfurt 3-0 (25:21, 25:23, 25:13) in front of the same impressive backdrop in the sold-out Stadtwerke Hartberg Halle.
It is the first cup title in the eighth attempt, as TI-volley had already been in the final seven times. Klagenfurt, on the other hand, won the trophy three times – most recently in 2007.
At the start of the season, head coach Roe Hernandez’s girls already secured the Supercup, and they also finished the Austrian Volley League regular season to the top two weeks ago.
After 85 minutes, the winners used their first match point and were able to receive the trophy from the hands of ÖVV President Gernot Leitner.
The top scorers of the long, thrilling final duel were TI-volley match MVP Rozalia Hnatyszyn (18), Marie Nevot and Maya Wollin (11 each) and for the Wildcats Sara Chiara Neiss, Nikolina Bajic (9 each) and Katharina Holzer (6).
In another game played today, VBK Wörther-See-Löwen Klagenfurt comfortably won also their second Powerfusion VL Men relegation duel against UNIONvolleys Bisamberg-Hollabrunn. The currently leaders celebrated a 3-0 (25:16, 27:25, 25:11) away win.
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🏐| Austrian Volley Cup 2023/24 | FINAL
Saturday, February 24, 2024
• 17.30 (Local Time) | W | TI-Schuh-Staudinger-volley – ATSC Kelag Wildcats Klagenfurt 3-0 (25:21, 25:23, 25:13)
• 20.15 (Local Time) | M | TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg – SK Zadruga Aich/Dob 0-3 (22:25, 23:25, 15:25)
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🏐| Relegation Round
Saturday, February 17, 2024
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Oberbank STEELVOLLEYS Linz-Steg – VC Hausmannstätten 3-0 (25:19, 26:24, 25:19)
Sunday, February 18, 2024
• 16.00 (Local Time) | VBK Wörther-See-Löwen Klagenfurt – UNIONvolleys Bisamberg-Hollabrunn 3-0 (25:17, 25:14, 25:14)
👉🏼Saturday, February 23, 2024
• 14.30 (Local Time) | UNIONvolleys Bisamberg-Hollabrunn – VBK Wörther-See-Löwen Klagenfurt 0-3 (16:25, 25:27, 11:25)
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