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Dinamo București and CSO Voluntari began the 2026/27 Romanian volleyball season by lifting the national Super Cups, with both teams securing convincing straight-set victories at the Danubius Arena in Tulcea on Saturday, 17 October.
Dinamo defeated Romanian Cup holders SCM Zalău 3-0 in the men’s final, while the women’s champions overcame Volei Alba Blaj by the same score to extend their remarkable run in the competition to three consecutive editions.
For Dinamo București, the victory marked a return to the top of the Super Cup podium after their defeat to Corona Brașov in last year’s final. The Romanian champions dominated Zalău 25:16, 25:19, 25:16, securing their third title in the competition following previous triumphs in 2021 and 2022. The match lasted just 81 minutes, with Dinamo maintaining control throughout and never allowing their opponents to reach 20 points in any of the three sets.
Finnish opposite Joonas Jokela was named MVP after an impressive performance in what was effectively his official debut for the Bucharest club. Recently recruited by Dinamo, he arrived with a strong international reputation, having helped Finland finish third at the most recent European Championship. His contribution proved central to a commanding team display under head coach Bogdan Tănase.
Zalău, coached by Adrian Feher, entered the match as Romanian Cup holders and were hoping to add another trophy to their collection. Despite having their full squad available, including Cuban internationals Tiago Suarez Mendoza and Gonzalez Rodriguez, they struggled to find solutions against Dinamo’s intensity and organisation. The defeat leaves Zalău with work to do ahead of the start of the Divizia A1 championship, while Dinamo can take confidence from a convincing first competitive outing of the season.
The women’s final offered a more closely contested battle, particularly in the second set, but CSO Voluntari ultimately proved too strong for Volei Alba Blaj. The reigning champions won 25:21, 30:28, 25:16 in 98 minutes, claiming their third consecutive Super Cup after previous victories in 2024 and 2025. The result also gave Voluntari an early advantage over Alba Blaj, who entered the match as Romanian Cup holders.
Colombian attacker Laura Pascua led Voluntari with 19 points and was named MVP, spearheading an attack that proved decisive in the most important moments. Lorena Lorber Fijok added 14 points, while Nicole van Vossen contributed 12. For Alba Blaj, Elina Rodríguez was the leading scorer with 16 points, but her efforts were not enough to prevent Voluntari from completing the sweep.
The turning point came in the second set. After Voluntari had taken the opener, Alba Blaj had an opportunity to level the match but could not convert its chance to win the set. Voluntari held firm through the extended exchanges to prevail 30-28, moving within one set of the trophy. The Romanian champions then took control in the third, pulling away to seal the title with a 25-16 victory.
The final was also marked by a serious injury to Venezuelan outside hitter Nelmaira Váldez of Alba Blaj during the second set. The incident occurred with Alba Blaj leading 16-14, and the club subsequently expressed its support for the player and wished her a speedy recovery. Further medical details were not available in the reports published after the match.
The two finals provided an encouraging start to the season for Dinamo and Voluntari, who have both confirmed their status as leading forces in Romanian volleyball. Dinamo’s emphatic win restored the men’s Super Cup to Bucharest after last year’s disappointment, while Voluntari’s continued dominance in the women’s competition underlined the consistency that has made them the team to beat in recent seasons. With the first domestic trophies awarded, attention now turns to the league campaigns, where both champions will look to carry their early momentum into the months ahead.
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