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After a marathon summer season for the USA through which the Individuals gained the FIVB World Cup and NORCECA Championship, took a silver medal at Volleyball Nations League after which certified for the 2024 Paris Olympics in Paris, gamers dispersed to their respective skilled golf equipment.
As is the case with professional volleyball, a brand new yr means a brand new crew for some, however many are returning to their identical golf equipment.
The largest information within the switch market is that Matt Anderson left Zenit Saint Petersburg for Ziraat Bankasi, the Turkish champions in 2023. He nonetheless had a yr left on this contract in Russia, and the entrance workplace was not eager on seeing him depart early. They made the declare that his contract was nonetheless price 950,000 Euros, and so they wanted to obtain compensation earlier than he may swimsuit up in Turkey. The FIVB dominated that as a result of Russian battle, gamers would have the ability to put their present contracts with Russian golf equipment on maintain to pursue alternatives in different leagues.
Erik Shoji and David Smith stayed at ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle in Poland, the place they are going to attempt to win a fourth consecutive CEV Champions League title.
TJ DeFalco is again with Asseco Resovia Rzeszów.
Aaron Rusell goes again to the JT Thunders in Hiroshima, Japan.
The three setters who noticed time with the nationwide crew this summer season are all remaining with the identical golf equipment, Micah Christenson with Zenit Kazan in Russia, Micah Ma’a in Turkey with Halkbank Ankara, and Josh Tuaniga in Poland with Indykpol AZS Olsztyn. Kyle Ensing and Pat Gasman stayed with their respective French golf equipment, Saint Nazaire and Chaumont. Tim McIntosh returned to Hypo Tirol Innsbruck, an Austrian membership that will probably be within the Champions League this yr.
Thomas Jaeschke left Ma’a and Halkbank to play in Japan with the Panasonic Panthers. Taylor Averill is alleged to be taking part in in China this season with Shanghai. Jake Hanes stays in Poland, however has made the transfer to Cuprum Lubin. Kyle Russell and Jeff Jendryk are each taking part in in Italy for the primary occasions in each of their careers, each with Gioelle Prisma Taranto. Gabi Garcia stays in Italy, however moved from Lube Civitanova to Pallavollo Padova. Kyle Dagostino will nonetheless play in France, however he went from Good to Narbonne.
Champions League
For the reason that CEV has opened to all its member nations, the format for the preliminary rounds has diverse. This primary and second preliminary rounds this yr include pool play. The primary spherical passed off this previous week, with 4 swimming pools of three or 4 groups every. One crew from the pool hosted all the matches and the only round-robin swimming pools passed off over three days. The highest two finishers from every pool earned a spot within the subsequent spherical, the place two swimming pools of 4 groups will participate in one other round-robin occasion, and the winners of every pool will declare a spot within the group stage of the match.
Two groups with American performed in Pool III. Tim McInthosh’s Hypo Tirol opened up misplaced to SC Prometey Dnipro of Ukraine, whereas Chase Direito’s VaLePa squad defeated Apeldoorn.
VaLepa had an opportunity to clinch a spot within the subsequent spherical however misplaced 19-25, 21-25, 29-27, 25-20, 15-13. Hypo Tirol stayed alive by defeating Apeldoorn 23-25, 38-36, 25-23, 25-19. McIntosh handed 64 p.c of his 42 receptions positively and 40 p.c completely.
McIntosh handed 54 p.c optimistic receptions and 38 p.c good in a sweep for Hypo Tirol over VaLePa. Direito noticed his solely motion of the weekend within the first set as a serving substitute.
Hypo Tirol Innsbruck and SC Prometey Dnipro superior to the subsequent spherical, whereas VaLePa will play within the CEV Cup, the place it is going to face Tommy Carmody, Spencer Olivier, and CEZ Karlovarsko of the Czech Republic.
CEV Cup
Kyle Dagostino’s Narbonne membership is participating within the qualification spherical of CEV Cup. Dagostino handed 64 p.c positively and 45 p.c completely in a loss to Nantes Reze, a fellow French crew. They play once more Wednesday and Narbonne should win in three or 4 units after which win a Golden Set to advance.
Poland
Whereas ZAKSA has gained the final three Champions League trophies, it has solely claimed the Polish PlusLiga title as soon as throughout that point. Smith, Shoji and ZAKSA opened up its home marketing campaign with a win over PGE GiEK Skra Bełchatów as Smith scored 12 factors on 9 kills in as many assaults, two blocks and an ace. Shoji led with 76 p.c optimistic and 47 p.c good passes to go together with a match-high 10 digs.
Jake Hanes led with 17 factors in Curpum Lubin’s 37-35, 25-20, 25-17 sweep over Barkom Kazany Lviv, ending with 13 kills, two blocks and two aces whereas hitting over .340.
Josh Tuaniga misplaced Karol Butryn and Taylor Averill, two of his prime targets, to the switch market, however nonetheless set Olsztyn to a .360 hitting share in a 23-25, 27-25, 26-24, 27-25 victory over Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie. The addition of Alan Souza from Brazil and Nicolas Szerszen helped with manufacturing on the pins. The duo mixed for 31 of the groups 75 earned factors. The story of this match was the emergence of Cezary Sapiński. The center blocker who performed with Tuaniga at Ślepsk Malow Suwałki was an ideal 16 of 16 in assault. He additionally added a block and two aces.
DeFalco and Resovia’s misplaced to Projekt Warsawa as DeFalco led Resovia with 18 kills and a block whereas hitting .433. Former UC Irvine star Kevin Tillie, who performs for France, hit .591 for Warsaw with no errors in a 13-kill efficiency and had two blocks and an ace.
Hanes led Cuprum Lubin with 14 kills and 4 acesin a four-set loss to Skrabut.
ZAKSA beat Stal Nysa in 5 as Smith hit .750 and Shoji handed 54 p.c optimistic and 25 p.c good passes.
Tuaniga and Olsztyn noticed first-hand that Jastrzębski Węgiel is a good stronger crew than it was when it gained the PlusLiga final season. His crew misplaced in 4 as Tuaniga set Olsztyn to a .290 hitting share.
ZAKSA then swept Olsztyn as Smith performed sparingly.
Resovia swept Ślepsk Malow Suwałki as DeFalco had 15 kills, 4 aces and three blocks whereas hitting .500.
Resovia gained a wild one — 19-25, 19-25, 34-32, 25-18, 15-10 — over Zawiercie and DeFalco led once more, this time with 21 kills, a block, 9 digs and an ace.
Hanes led Cuprum Lubin with 19 kills, three blocks and two aces in a loss to LUK Lubin.
Russia
Christenson’s first match again with Zenit Kazan was a victory over Dynamo Moscow within the third match of the common season with the Supercup at stake. Christenson set Kazan to a .403 hitting share and scored on a block in a 25-23, 25-22, 25-17 win.
Italy
Jendryk and Kyle Russell made their Italian SuperLega debuts however misplaced to Rana Verona. Jendryk had 13 kills, three blocks and hit .764, whereas Russell was a sub who had three kills and an ace.
Garcia and Pallavolo Padova have been swept by Gasoline Gross sales Bluenergy Piacenza and he had eight kills, two aces and a block, however solely hit .125. His former teammate from BYU and present teammate at Padova, Italian Davide Gardini, led with 11 kills, two aces and hit .500.
Taranto then virtually defeated the defending champions, Itas Trentino, however misplaced in 5. Russell received the beginning for Taranto and produced 28 factors on 25 kills and three aces and hit .438 assault. Jendryk had eight kills and a block.
Garcia had 11 kills and three aces, however Padova was swept by Lube Civitanova. Gardini 9 kills and former Lengthy Seaside State star Aleksandar Nikolov had 12 kills and an ace for Lube.
Japan
Aaron Russell opened up his season with JT Thunders by scoring 21 factors on 17 kills, two blocks and two aces in a four-set victory over the Suntory Sunbirds. However the subsequent day, his crew misplaced to the Sunbirds and he had 13 kills, two blocks and an ace.
Russell’s Hiroshima gained twice towards Tine Urnaut and the JTEKT Stings. He had 20 kills, two blocks and an ace within the first match and 14 kills and three blocks the subsequent day.
Jaeschke’s Panasonic Panthers began the season with a two highway wins over the Tokyo Nice Bears. He led with 14 kills and 6 blocks within the first-match sweep after which had 15 kills and a block in one other sweep.
The Panasonic Panthers then beat the Toray Arrows twice and Jaeschke led with 20 kills, two aces and a block within the first match and had 20 kills, an ace and a block within the second.
Türkiye
The Turkish Efeler League opened up its season with a rematch of final yr’s finals and Halkbank Ankara avenged final yr’s defeat with a 25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 22-25, 16-14 victory over Ziraat Bankasi. Ma’a set Halkbank to a .381 hitting share and scored on two kills and an ace. Nimir Abdel Aziz and Earvin N’Gapeth led Halkbank with 36 and 20 factors, respectively. Anderson made his debut within the fourth set and had 5 kills, a block, and hit .400.
Halkbank then hit .506 and swept Spor Toto in an Ankara derby as Ma’a had two aces and a kill. N’Gapeth and Nimir had 18 factors every.
Anderson began for Ziraat Bankasi sweep of Arkas Sporand led with 16 kills, three aces and a block whereas hitting .727 on 22 makes an attempt.
This previous week, Ziraat gained twice as Anderson had 14 kills, three blocks, and an ace in a sweep of Rams World Cizre Bld, after which he hit .450 on his option to eight kills and two blocks in a sweep over Kuşgöz Izmir Vinç Akkuş Bld.
Halkbank hit .451 in a four-set win over Türşad and Ma’a had two blocks and an ace.
France
The French Ligue A opened up the season after Chaumont fell to Excursions within the Tremendous Cup. Saint Nazaire was with out Quinn Isaacson, whose damaged hand put a damper on what may have been a extremely aggressive match, and Chaumont took benefit. Joe Worsley set Chaumont to a .532 hitting share with solely two errors in a 25-20, 25-20, 25-14 sweep. Michael Marshman completed with three kills and 4 blocks and Patrick Gasman hit .714 on his option to 5 kills, two blocks and an ace. Jordan Ewert had seven kills for Saint Nazaire, but additionally dedicated seven assault errors. Kyle Ensing hit .174 and completed with 9 kills.
Daniel Wetter kicked off his second professional season with 11 factors and a .714 assault common for Paris in a 25-23, 25-16, 30-28 win over Narbonne. Wetter, a center blocker who performed his rookie season in Finland, didn’t commit an assault error and had 10 kills to go together with a block. Colton Cowell had 4 kills, two aces and hit .250. Kyle Dagostino handed 68 p.c for Narbonne.
Chaumont hit .391 and swept Narbonne as Marshman had 5 kills, two aces a block whereas hitting .444. Gasman and McDonald cut up time on the different center place. Gasman began and contributed two kills, a block and an ace. McDonald got here off the bench within the second set and completed with three kills and two blocks. Dagostino handed 86 p.c positively and 71 p.c completely for Narbonne.
Wetter continued his spectacular begin with six kills, 4 blocks whereas hitting .750 in a four-set win for Paris over Excursions. Cowell was a sub and didn’t rating.
Ewert bounced again and led Saint Nazaire with 27 factors, together with 17 break factors, in a 23-25, 29-27, 25-18, 25-18 victory over Good. He posted 16 kills, three blocks and eight aces, all match highs. Ensing had 14 kills and a block.
Germany
After the Bounce Home Cup, through which Cody Kessel’s Berlin Recycling Volleys beat VfB Friedrichshafen within the finals, the Bundesliga kicked issues off on October 27.
SVG Lüneburg swept Netzhoppers Okay.W. Bestensee as Matt Knigge had seven kills, two blocks and two aces whereas hitting .778. Blake Leeson performed two units on the different center place and had a kill. Gage Worsley handed 62 p.c positively and 31 p.c completely. Matt Slivinsky was used as an alternative within the first and third units and had two kills.
JT Hatch had two kills and a block for Helios Grizzlys Giesen in a four-set defeat to Berlin. Kessel performed within the first and fourth units however didn’t rating.
Argentina
Brandon Rattray led UPCN with 24 factors in a 25-20, 23-25, 25-12, 26-24 win over Monteros Volley Membership within the semifinals of the Argentinian Supercup on 23 kills and a block. He performed the primary set of the ultimate however was subbed out after a tough begin (5 kills and 6 errors) as UPCN fell to Membership Asociacion Mutual Policial 19-25, 25-15, 26-28, 17-25. The league schedule will kick off in two weeks.
Finland
The Finnish Mesatruusliiga began September 30. VaLePa, perennially on the prime of the standings, is off to a 5-0 begin. The membership defeated Kyky-Betset in 5 and Chase Direito, a rookie center blocker who performed at Menlo within the NAIA, had three kills and a block. Colin Lovejoy, a rookie center from Grand Canyon, completed twith two kills and three blocks for Kyky-Betset. Dereito at present has the third-best assault share in Finland.
Troy Gooch, a rookie libero from UCLA, has the most effective good reception share within the league. His Hurrikaani-Loimaa squad is 2-1 and swept Karelian Hurmos. Gooch handed 77 p.c positively and 46 p.c completely. Greg Petty, final season’s MVP with Akaa Volley, additionally performs for Hurrikaani-Loimaa.
Michael Michelau had 9 kills and an ace for Savo Volley in a loss to Kokkolan Tiikerit.
Felix Egharevba hit .700 on his option to eight kills for Raison Loimu. The rookie from Ball State additionally chipped in an ace and 4 blocks as his crew defeated Kokkolan Tiikerit.
Petty had 11 kills, a block, and a team-high three aces for Hurrikaani-Loimaa in a win over the Vantaa Geese. Gooch handed 71 p.c positively and 35 p.c completely.
Greece
A.O. Kalamata 80, with Matt West and Ryan Coenen, opened its season with a five-set loss to A.S. Athlos Orestiadas. West had three blocks and an ace whereas setting his crew to a .231 hitting share. Coenen had 9 kills, however seven errors, and an ace.
Czech Republic
Center Tommy Carmody had 4 kills, two blocks and an ace for CEZ Karlovarsko in a sweep of Brno on October 21. Spencer Olivier was used as an alternative within the second or third units, incomes a kill on three makes an attempt. Grant Marocchi began and performed the entire match for Brno, getting a kill.
Olivier then began for Karlovarsko and had six kills, two blocks and an ace. Carmody contributed three kills within the center however Karlovarsko fell to Příbram in 4.
Jordan Kerkvliet completed with six kills, two blocks and an ace for Odolena Voda in a 25-20, 26-24, 31-33, 25-19 win towards Ostrava.
Austria
McIntosh’s Hypo Tirol squad made fast work of SK Zadruga Aich/Dob as he handed 50 p.c of his receptions positively and 21 p.c completely. Hypo Tirol is 4-0 and has not dropped a set within the home league.
Switzerland
Chênois Genève claimed the Swiss Supercup with a 26-24, 27-25, 25-18 sweep of Volley Schönenwerd as Dennis Del Valle handed 60 p.c optimistic and 53 p.c good for the victors. James Norris performed the primary two units within the center for Chênois, scoring on 4 kills however he had 4 errors.
Del Valle handed 54 p.c optimistic a sweep of TSV Jona. Norris put away six kills, hit .625 and had two blocks.
Baltic League
Daniel Matheney had 5 kills and 4 blocks and hit. 625 for Bigbank Tartu of Estonia in a sweep of Amber Volley.