CEV European Championship Final 2016 Biel/Bienne - Day 3

A tough match at womens side welcomed me in the evening session with a sunset when I arrived the venue of CEV European Championship Final 2016 Biel/Bienne on 3rd of June. 

It was a round 2 match between Menegatti/Orsi Toth (ITA) / Holtwick/Semmler (GER) at side court and Germans won this thrilling game with a 16-14 tie-break.

Italians Marta Menegatti is serving against Holtwick/Semmler (GER) at the sunset

Duel on the net between Marta Menegatti (ITA) and Ilka Semmler (GER)

The venue was full of people even in a rainy weather. It was like a carnival with full of stands between the centre court and side courts. Eating and drinking areas, small shops, some kind of playing areas  and big meeting tent in the middle with a bar are located brilliantly at the venue. Of course my favourite stand was Haribo.

   

                 

The last match at the evening session was between Heidrich-Zumkehr (SUI) and Slukova-Hermannova (CZE). This years FIVB Sochi Open champions and home heroines Heidrich-Zumkehr started very strongly to the game. After 17-14, Slukova - Hermanova tied the game at the end of first set with a 20-20 but the first set gone to Heidrich-Zumkehr.

After Hermannova's injury,  Czech girls started to play better and they took the game 2-1 with a 21-17 second and easier one with a 15-6 tie-break. 

Hermannova has been injured during a Round of 16 game in Biel/Bienne

                                         

Slukova-Hermannova (CZE) and their fan celebrating their win at round of 16  at Biel/Bienne

So both Swiss women teams have eliminated at the round of 16 and their medal hopes had ended quickly in Biel/Bienne.

For all photos on 3rd of June you can visit official website of CEV or click here .

And also if you haven't watched yet the trailer video of CEV European Championship Final 2016 please enjoy the video below. 

photos by me , video from youtube 

Phil Dalhausser And Nick Lucena Had Guaranteed To Qualify For Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena during FIVB 2016 Maceio Open photo source FIVB 

Do you know that Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena were playing together between 2003-2005 seasons? They reached their first career championship match together in 2005 Men’s AVP Tour in Austin, Texas. They won over Jake Gibb and Stein Metzger with a 18-16 tie-break to collect their first AVP win.

                                 

I can offer a book if you are interested in what was going on at 2005 on AVP Tour.

After a dissapointed ninth place finish at London 2012 Olympic Games , Beijing 2008 champions Phil and Todd have decided to finish their partnership. Phil has started to play with two times olympian (5th place finish in each Beijing 2008 and London 2012) Sean Rosenthal.

The duo has been successful at FIVB World Tour 2013 and 2014 like Phil and Todd have done between 2009-2012.

During the last years Moscow Grand Slam 2015 I watched an interesting game of Phil and Sean against German’s Walkenhorst/Windcheif. Phil was digging, Sean was blocking , even they were double blocking, they were going on two almost every ball, like everything was turning inside out. After they lost the game we understood that Phil has injured. They have played together one more tournament (Yokohoma Grand Slam) and then decided to go their own ways.

Phil and Sean during the Moscow Grand Slam 2015 photo by Masha Berliner

                                        

Phil has teamed-up (re-united) with Nick Lucena again after ten years and I think this was the end of Sean Rosenthal’s road to Rio 2016.

Phil and Nick have started to play on August 2015 and they have been guaranteed to qualify for Rio 2016 less than 7 months.

Phil and Nick photo source FIVB

                                                 

It will be Phil’s 3rd olympic games and Lucena’s will be the first so they will be still hungry for the olympic medal.

By the way Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson will be the other men team for USA at Rio 2016

I think everybody who is related with beach volley has been watched Sean Rosenthal’s this video at least once.

But I want to show a different video of how Dalhausser was hitting on two in 2005. Assist from Nick Lucena.