Record winner VfB Friedrichshafen was eliminated with a crash in the semi-finals of the German Volleyball Cup.
Coach Mark Lebedew's team lost 3-0 (19:25, 22:25, 22:25) at the SWD Powervolleys Düren, meaning the defending champion and 17-time DVV Cup winner missed the final in Mannheim on February 26 2023
In this Düren, who was always inferior in the previous three finals, meets the current champion Berlin Recycling Volleys.
After initial difficulties, the Bundesliga table leader prevailed 3:1 (21:25, 25:20, 25:21, 25:15) against the Helios Grizzlys Gießen.
In front of 2400 spectators in the sold-out arena in Hildesheim, diagonal attacker Marek Sotola was the outstanding player in the winner.
The Czech international scored 30 points alone, including five aces.
The Berliners initially found no concept against the outsider, who acted with a lot of passion and very purposefully.
The guests' acceptance proved too unstable to decisively stop the opponent's attack momentum.
Even with the serve, the volleys couldn't build up any real pressure.
Ironically, Timothee Carle, who had been disappointing until then, made it 9:5 in the second set with three aces in a row.
The actions of the team became safer.
Because the 2.08 meter tall Sotola reliably scored after good passes from setter Johannes Tille, the Berliners immediately won the third round after the second.
Even a few lack of concentration among the guests in the fourth set did no longer cause any damage against Giesener, who was falling sharply.
From 11:9 the Berliners pulled away to 19:12 and didn't let the victory be taken away from them.
In the end, the Finn Antti Ronkainen converted the first match point with an ace as a net roller.