Ladies US to next round in Dutch Cup

De titel vraagt enige uitleg. Het verslag van de derde ronde in de beker werd in het Engels geschreven door de Duitse speelsters Sophia Mahlig van Pharmafilter US Amsterdam. Uiteraard hebben we er niets aan ‘geprutst’ om het in het Nederlands te vertalen. Alleen hebben we er een titel aan gegeven. Namens Sophia en US dames 1 veel lees plezier. Bij deze wedstrijden werden foto’s gemaakt door John van Geenen van Johnspictures.nl  

“Last Saturday we went to Haarlem to play the third round of the national beker. It was about to win against two teams, Seesing Personeel | Orion and Spaarnestad.

Our first opponent was Orion. We started with Lisa van de Geer on the position of the setter, Laura Kim as the opposite attacker, Sophie and Saskia as the outside hitters, Nina and Sandrijn on the middle position and Ruth as our libero.

The first set was dominated by us. In the beginning we could convince with clear blocks and a stabile reception. Therefore we won the first set with 25:18.

Orion got stronger with better attacks and a stronger block in the second set. That was why the beginning of the second set was balanced between both teams. But we stuck to our abilities and kept cool, so that we could win the set again with 25:18.

The third set was even more hard-fought. Both teams blocked well and fought for every ball. But in the end the last set ended with 25:23 for us, so that we could celebrate our 3:0 success.

After a short break we started again with the same line-up of players, as in the first game, against Spaarnestad. The first set was again really promising. With a stable reception, block and attack we won with 25:14. Everything seemed to work out.

For the second set the coach changed two players. Emma started on the middle position and Sophia as the outside attacker for Saskia.

Spaarnestad served smart, so that we often had problems in the reception. Our attacks were not that successful anymore as well. For that reason Spaarnestad has gotten more and more confident and motivated. We lost the set with 14:25.

For the next set we agreed to change something, but it did not work out, as we imagined it. It seemed like we were already tired from the previous game and could not come back to our strength in that game. The third set got lost with 14:25 as well.

In the fourth set we could compete better than in the previous two sets, for instance due to some good services, which put pressure on the reception of Spaarnestad.

But too many faults from our own site let us lose also this set with 21:25.

Even though we have lost the second game, we are happy that we could qualify for the next round of the beker in January.”