Van Yerevan produce emphatic finish in Armenia’s Pro League to claim the title
Shanghai Guangming claim 17th title in China’s men’s volleyball league
Al Ahly Cairo’s women’s team achieve golden double in Egypt
Tallinn’s TalTech and Selver/TalTech secure women’s and men’s titles in Estonia
Polkky Kuusamo win third Finland women’s title in a row
RSU/MSG Riga achieve fantastic turnaround in Latvian women’s championship playoff
Prometey Dnipro defend men’s title in Ukraine
Eight domestic volleyball trophies were handed out to their winners last week. National champions triumphed in Armenia, China, Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Ukraine, while the women’s national cup trophy winners were crowned in Egypt.
ARMENIA
Van Yerevan claimed the women’s championship title of Armenia after topping the final standings in the country’s Pro League. After winning in straight sets in all three of the games at the final round, held in the Armenian capital from 12 to 14 April, the team collected a total of 36 points to top the final standings. FIMA Yerevan finished second on 22 points and took silver, while Avan Yerevan completed the podium with 15 points. Elizavet Tonoyan, Victoria Grabovskaya and Parisa Ghanbarnejad, all of Van Yerevan, Lernuhi Sargsyan of FIMA Yerevan, Seda Matevosyan of Avan Yerevan and Ellen Arakelyan of fourth-placed VBH Yerevan were named the best players of the league.
CHINA
Shanghai Guangming claimed their 17th title in China’s men’s volleyball league on Sunday, after defeating Beijing Baic Motor in the best-of-five championship series, mastering three straight-set wins in a row. This included a 3-0 win (25-18, 25-21, 25-21) on 7 April in the first match away, another 3-0 victory (27-25, 25-17, 25-22) on 11 April as well as 3-0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-21) on 14 April in the second and the third games at home. In the best-of-three third-place playoff, Zhejiang Deqing achieved two wins over Baoding Woli, in four sets away and in five sets at home, to snatch the bronze.
Shanghai Guangming’s 23-year-old middle blocker Peng Shikun was named Most Valuable Player (MVP), while the Dream Team was made up of setter Chen Leiyang (Zhejiang), opposite Aleksandar Atanasijevic (Shanghai), outside hitters Wang Bin Wang (Zhejiang) and Amirhossein Esfandiar (Tianjin Food Group), middle blockers Artur Udrys (Baoding) and Maxwell Holt (Beijing), and libero Yang Yiming (Zhejiang).
Shanghai Guangming triumph as national champions (Photo credits: volleychina.org)
EGYPT
Al Ahly Cairo were crowned the winners of the women’s 2023-2024 Egypt Cup. They beat Al Shams Cairo by 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-10) in the final over the weekend to complete a league-and-cup golden double. Defending cup-holders Zamalek Giza, were stunned by Al Shams Cairo in a five-set semifinal. Al Ahly beat Wadi Degla Cairo in straight sets in the semi-finals to qualify for the final, where they claimed their 36th Egypt Cup title.
Al Ahly women’s team celebrate with the trophy after winning the 2023-2024 Egypt Cup. (Photo credits: Al Ahly)
ESTONIA
The men’s Estonian champions emerged on Tuesday of last week. Selver/TalTech Tallinn closed the best-of-seven championship series in four games, allowing their opponents Barrus Voru only a set, in the last game. After a 3-0 win (26-24, 25-20, 25-13) at home on 29 March, a 3-0 victory (25-21, 25-12, 25-20) away on 2 April, a 3-0 win (25-15, 25-17, 25-19) at home on 6 April and a 3-1 victory (25-22, 17-25, 25-18, 25-22) away on 9 April, the team from the capital defended the club’s first national title from last season. The best-of-five bronze medal series was pushed to a deciding fifth match, after Bigbank Tartu and Parnu repeatedly won their home matches. In the decider, however, Parnu delivered a four-set away win to make the podium.
Selver/TalTech Tallinn’s team roster
TalTech Tallinn defended their women’s national title in Estonia on Wednesday last week and triumphed as champions for the third time. They won the best-of-five final series against Rae Spordikool/Viaston in three matches, starting with a 3-1 win (25-10, 21-25, 25-17, 25-16) at home on 29 March, a 3-0 triumph (25-23, 25-23, 25-18) away on 2 April, and a 3-2 success (25-13, 15-25, 17-25, 25-21, 15-12) again at home on 10 April. The third-place playoff lasted the full five matches, with the home sides always winning. Finally, TU/Bigbank Tartu defeated Audentese SG/NK Tallinn in four sets in the deciding fifth game on Sunday.
TalTech Tallinn’s players picked up four individual awards: Karolina Kibbermann for Best Setter, Nette Peit for Best Outside Hitter, Katriin Pold for Best Middle Blocker and Merilin Paalo for Best Libero. Rae’s Merili Korvel was named Best Opposite. Her teammate Silvia Pertens was recognised as the Second Best Outside Hitter.
TalTech Tallinn’s team roster
FINLAND
Polkky Kuusamo celebrated their third consecutive women’s title in Finland after completing the best-of-seven championship series against Kangasala in just four matches. They started with a 3-0 win (25-15, 25-21, 25-18) on 7 April at home, followed up with 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 18-25, 25-18) and 3-2 victories (25-18, 17-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11) on 10 and 11 April away, and finished with a 3-0 win (25-18, 31-29, 25-23) on Sunday at home. After two four-set victories over Vampula Huittinen, the team of Puijo Wolley Kuopio took the bronze.
Polkky Kuusamo’s team roster
LATVIA
RSU/MSG Riga pulled off an amazing comeback from losing the first two matches of the Latvian women’s championship series to RVS/LU Riga to win the next three and celebrate the second national title in the club’s history. RVS/LU took a 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22, 15-12) away victory in the first match on 3 April and followed up with a 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-22) home win on 6 April. However, RSU/MSG went on a three-game winning streak and after a 3-0 win (25-15, 25-14, 25-17) at home on 7 April, a 3-1 success (21-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-22) away on Saturday, and a 3-1 victory (25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 25-21) at home again on Sunday, triumphed as champions. Jeglava also mounted a comeback in the best-of-three third-place series against SUFA/DU Daugavpils and took the bronze after three four-set matches.
RSU/MSG’s 26-year-old setter Elvita Dolotova was recognised as MVP. Her teammates Agija Ankevica and Megija Grundmane were named Best Outside Hitter and Best Libero, respectively. Three RVS/LU players also took individual awards: Elza Reknere for Best Setter, Anete Celnova for Best Opposite, and Lasma Ozola for Best Middle Blocker.
RSU/MSG Riga’s team roster
UKRAINE
SC Prometey Dnipro defended the men’s national title they won last season in Ukraine and triumphed as champions again. They overcame Epicentr-Podolyany Gorodok in the best-of-five championship series by 3-1 in wins. SC Prometey Dnipro started with a 3-0 victory (25-20, 25-18, 25-19) on 5 April and followed it up with a 3-2 win (25-19, 25-22, 21-25, 22-25, 15-12) on 7 April. Epicentr-Podolyany Gorodok struck back with a 3-2 (25-16, 22-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12) success on Friday, but the squad from Dnipro closed the series in another five-setter (pictured in the main photo; credits: pvlu.org) on Sunday, 3-2 (27-25, 25-27, 22-25, 25-15, 15-11). SC Prometey Dnipro’s 37-year-old middle blocker Dmytro Teryomenko was honoured as MVP. Zhytychi-Polissya Zhytomir claimed the bronze after three victories over Yurydychna akademiya Kharkiv.
Prometey Dnipro’s team roster