The Netherlands rule home tournament in Rotterdam
2009 Senior European Championships - 2nd Qualification Round
Rotterdam, May 18, 2008. The Dutch men ended their home qualification tournament for the 2009 Men’s Senior European Championships in style. In the Topsport Center they defeated Slovenia with 3-0, practically declassing their opponent in the last two sets (25-23, 25-13, 25-13). As the Dutch did not lose any set in Rotterdam, they have an excellent starting point for the second tournament to be played in Slovenia in two weeks.
Dutch coach Peter Blangé started with the same line-up as both earlier matches, whilst Gregor Hribar brought his ‘A-team’ in as well. In the first phase, Dutch setter Yannick van Harskamp successfully served one of his key players, Robert Horstink, who scored almost every smash he made (6 out of 7). Slovenia however, with top scorers Mitja Gasparini and Davor Čebron, knew how to spike as well, so that soon the score was even (10-10). When Wytze Kooistra started serving, the Netherlands scored 3 points in a row, forcing Hribar to call his first time out. At 14-12, the enthusiastic Dutch crowd saw the longest and most exciting rally of the first set, that Rob Bontje ended spiking at the baseline of the Slovenians. Both teams played well and varied a lot in their attacks, what made the match extra attractive for the audience.
At 21-17, Slovenia used its second time out, trying to slow down the men in orange. With 22-19 on the board, Gasparini served just out, but the Slovenians diminished their arrear to 1 point (23-22). When Matija Plesko served in the net, the Dutch had their first set point, silvered by a perfect block of Wytze Kooistra.
Slovenia did not start well in the second set, Hribar quickly substituted his captain Plesko for Andrej Flajs. Sisley Treviso’s player Horstink however almost seemed to play with the Slovenians; every ball he touched delivered a point for the Dutch (11-4). Together with the big, orange crowd in Rotterdam, Blangé enjoyed his guys from the side of the field.
At 12-5, Jeroen Trommel and Jelte Maan bumped into each other, trying to save the same ball. The Dutch captain was therefore forced to play further with a pain killer, but it didn’t stop his perfect play. At 22-13, Trommel scored 2 direct service points in a row (24-13) and the set was stylishly closed with a killing block of 3 Dutch men.
The Dutch train rumbled on at the beginning of the third set, which started with Kristian van der Wel instead of top scorer Kay van Dijk. With Trommel on serve and Horstink successfully blocking and attacking at the net, soon the scoreboard stood at 6-0 for the oranges. The gap was still 6 points at the first technical time out. Kooistra served 4 straight service points in a row, the arrear of 10 points almost declassed the Slovenians. At 13-2, Bontje smashed the Slovenian libero so forceful at the head, that Tomislav Skorc was out for a few seconds. Fortunately Skorc was able to continue the match after some care of his team doctor, which made the orange crowd cheer again.
At 18-5 Hribar substituted Alen Pajenk for Matej Vidic, but it was too late to change the tide. The match ended at 25-13.
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