Finland
Unlike most of the 2018 FIVB World Championship participants, Finland will play one more important tournament before going to compete in Italy and Bulgaria on September 9.
The Scandinavian side will play Qualification for the 2019 CEV European Championship which is scheduled for mid-August. This will also serve as a good way to gain strength and competitive charge for the World Championship for the team coached by Tuomas Sammelvuo who summoned 16 players for these two tournaments. Two outside hitters were called to the national team for the first time: a 21-year-old Antti Ronkainen (Lentopalloseura Etta) and 19-year-old Niko Suihkonen (VaLePa Sastamala).
Finland’s preliminary list for the 2019 EuroVolley Qualifications and 2018 World Championship:
Setters: Eemi Tervaportti (Olympiacos, GRE), Mikko Esko (VaLePa)
Opposites: Urpo Sivula (VaLePa), Samuli Kaislasalo (Nagano, JPN), Joonas Jokela (Etta)
Outside hitters: Elviss Krastiņš (Arago, FRA), Sakari Mäkinen (Shakhter, BLR), Antti Siltala (Savo), Niko Suihkonen (VaLePa), Antti Ronkainen (Etta)
Middle blockers: Sauli Sinkkonen (Chaumont, FRA), Tommi Siirilä (Perugia, ITA), Markus Kaurto (VaLePa), Henrik Porkka (Hurrikaani)
Liberos: Lauri Kerminen (Kuzbass, RUS), Niklas Breilin (Tiikerit).
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