Bucuresti, Romania
This result compensates for the shocking defeat suffered a week ago in Istanbul where Dinamo had edged Galatasaray with the score of 3:2.
The first set was extremely close up to 19 all before Dinamo went to the front with a reassuring margin of four points (23:19) helped by Ivana Zburova and her good service supported by Tatiana Lupu who even blocked Cuban star Rosir Calderon. The opening section of the game was sealed by Dinamo at 25-21 after a splendid action in defense was finalized by an attack of Ana-Maria Stefan.
Galatasaray started out strong in set 2 (4:0) and enjoyed a margin of three points by the first technical time-out (8:5). With Neriman Özsoy and Rosir Calderon displaying their great skills, the guests from Turkey could stretch their lead (16:9) and quickly pocketed that set with the impressive score of 25-13.
The third set followed a similar plot with Galatasaray quickly going up 8:3, before the blocks by Simona Gioli and Neriman Özsoy, plus the attacks scored by Calderon, widened the gap to 16:7 by the second mandatory stop. Setter Eleonora Lo Bianco was able to marshal her attackers with real ease, Calderon, Gioli and Molnar could regularly find a way through the Romanian block and it was Özsoy who sealed the set with another 25-13.
Dinamo changed a few things in its starting six for set 4 with Regan Hood playing as opposite and Diana-Dora Carbuneanu being lined up as outside hitter. Still Galatasaray could go up 8:5 before Dinamo fought its way back with the help of Hood and captain Alida Marcovici for the 14 all. After a very close run it was Calderon who made the difference and at 26-24 sealed the 3:1 and also the third win for Galatasaray in the prelims of the 2013 CEV Volleyball Champions League.
Calderon, top scorer in the end with 20 points, said: “After losing last week we knew we needed to score an away win to be able to finish first in our group at the end of the prelims. We played a good game against a solid team, so this victory feels even sweeter”.
Local spiker Regan Hood added: “We really dropped down the quality of our game in set 2 and 3 but otherwise we fought for every single point and with some more luck we could have stretched the game to the tie-break. Congratulations to Galatasaray on their win”.
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