2020 Women

Team Previews

#RoadtoTokyo

Article Thu, Jan 2 2020

Through the world qualifiers in the summer of 2019, Europe’s Italy, Russia and Serbia secured their tickets to the women’s volleyball tournament at Tokyo 2020. Obviously, there are many more than three European teams with well-founded Olympic aspirations, but the remaining vacancy available to our continent is only one. Eight world-class European teams – Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Turkey – are set to battle for it at the continental qualification tournament to take place in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, from January 7 through 12.

AZERBAIJAN

Based on the final standings at the last EuroVolley in 2019, Azerbaijan may look like one of the underdogs within the impressive company that will gather in Apeldoorn, but based on the quality players they have on their roster, they could pose a threat to any opponent, especially if underestimated. 198-cm-tall opposite Polina Rahimova is certainly the big star of the squad. At EuroVolley, she impressed as the best server with 24 aces in just six matches played. She also made the top ten on the best scorers’ chart. Her teammate Olena Hasanova piled up as many as 22 kill blocks, fourth best of the championship. EuroVolley semifinals (2005 and 2017) are Azerbaijan’s greatest achievements. They have never played at the Olympics, so the appetite for a historic success should be great.

Starting line-up at most recent official match

Other key players

BELGIUM

Belgium is another team that has never been to the Olympics, which speaks for itself about their motivation. They started the 2019 season well, finishing seventh in the VNL and beating some solid teams along the way. At the world Olympic qualifiers they were in the same pool with two more European teams and finished third after losing to both Italy and the Netherlands. To end the 2019 national team season, the Belgians ranked ninth at EuroVolley. Outside spiker Britt Herbots was the team’s top scorer at each of these competitions and her performance, of course, backed up by the solid setting of captain Ilka Van de Vyver, could be key to the team’s success in Apeldoorn. Throw in a few aces from Marlies Janssens, the best server of the VNL preliminary round, and you have a realistic shot at Tokyo 2020.

Starting line-up at most recent official match

Other key players

BULGARIA

The team of Bulgaria is arguably one of the most unpredictable ones out there. The Lionesses made it to the Olympics only once in history, but went all the way to the podium snatching the 1980 bronze. They did not do well in the 2019 VNL, which resulted in relegation, but then they got to within one set from a sensational upset of hosts USA at the world Olympic qualifiers and from practically booking their trip to Tokyo. In the EuroVolley quarterfinals, they were knocked out by reigning 2017 and eventual 2019 champs Serbia, but finished eighth, still tying to their best placement since the seventh in 2003. With new blood flowing into ambitious coach Ivan Petkov’s selection, the Bulgarian squad is one of the youngest. World-class outside Elitsa Vasileva is the player expected to lead by example. With excellent middle blockers, such as Nasya Dimitrova and Mira Todorova, Bulgaria has no deficiencies in that sector; still the return of Hristina Ruseva after childbirth could give the team a much desired boost.

Starting line-up at most recent official match

Other key players

CROATIA

Among the eight teams heading to Apeldoorn, Croatia are the lowest ranked (11th) in the EuroVolley 2019 final standings and the only one that did not make the cut for the world Olympic qualifications in August. Their team is far from the glory of the Croatian squad in the last decade of the 20th century, which claimed three EuroVolley silvers and made it to the Sydney Olympics. Does that make them the clear underdog of the upcoming tournament? Probably yes. Does that mean they don’t stand a chance for an Olympic ticket? Definitely not! It is enough to remember their last game at the European Championship and the answer is laid out – they have potential and they will not shy away from using it even against the strongest of opponents. Croatia pushed hosts and eventual silver medallists Turkey to the limit and lost only at 14-16 in the tie-breaker, just short of stirring the biggest sensation of the tournament. Their greatest weapon, 27-year-old opposite Samanta Fabris, who was among the best servers and the most prolific scorers of EuroVolley, hammered out a smashing 39 points in that memorable match, proving that with a player like that anything is possible...

Starting line-up at most recent official match

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GERMANY

With Apeldoorn not far from the German border, the team of coach Felix Koslowski should almost feel at home during the Olympic qualifications. But possibly having some noisy support from the stands is not the only reason the German side should be considered as one of the serious candidates for the Olympic visa. They have a well-rounded squad with solid presence in every position, highlighted by opposite Louisa Lippmann’s scoring prowess and setter Denise Hanke’s mastery in creating spiking opportunities. After a shaky start in the 2019 VNL, the Germans picked up pace to finish 10th on a relatively balanced 7-8 win-loss record. They finished third in their world Olympic qualification pool after losing to powerful China and Turkey. At EuroVolley, Germany finished sixth after a hard-fought five-set loss to Poland in the quarterfinals. They (and their predecessors) used to be Olympic regulars, with silver in 1980, but have not managed to qualify since they last appeared at the 2004 Games in Athens.

Starting line-up at most recent official match

Other key players

NETHERLANDS

The Netherlands played at the Olympics three times, finishing sixth in 1992, fifth in 1996 and fourth at the last edition in 2016. Following this trend, they should aim at the podium of Tokyo 2020. If they qualify, that is... Which is not unlikely, given their recent results, their home court advantage and, most of all, the world-class players they have on their roster. Anticipating a very long 2019 national team season, they gave their star players some rest during the VNL and skipped the finals. At the world Olympic qualifications in Italy, the Dutch shut out Belgium, but got shut out by the strong team of the hosts in the deciding game. Picking up pace as the season unfolded, the Netherlands did not lose a single set in their first six EuroVolley matches, but once again got stopped in the quarterfinals by the hosts, in that case Turkey, who ended up with the silver and seem to be the main contender for the first place in Apeldoorn, alongside the Dutch. Only this time the Dutch are the hosts. As a world-class striker and scorer (fifth best at the 2019 World Cup), opposite Lonneke Sloetjes is one of the most important players for the Netherlands. The spiking and blocking skills, as well as the charisma, of middle blocker Robin De Kruijf (2019 club champion of the world) are certainly a great asset. So is the mastery of EuroVolley’s most efficient setter Laura Dijkema. But these I mention as just three of many stars in the bright constellation coach Giovanni Caprara is lucky to have on the road to Tokyo.

Starting line-up at most recent official match

Other key players

POLAND

Since the bronze medals at the first two editions of Olympic volleyball, Poland has qualified only once, back in 2008. Now their fantastic fans certainly think it’s time to do it again. Poland did not have very high hopes ahead of the 2019 national team season, but from the very start of it things started going a bit “out of control” and the results they achieved – fifth in the VNL and fourth at EuroVolley – were probably beyond what they expected. They were a bit unlucky to end up in the same world Olympic qualifier with reigning world and European champions Serbia. Otherwise, in all likelihood, their road to Tokyo would not be going through Apeldoorn. But, needless to say, when you have one of the world’s most prolific spikers, Malwina Smarzek-Godek (best scorer of VNL preliminary round, best scorer of world Olympic qualifiers, second best scorer of EuroVolley), and one of the top middles on the planet, Agnieszka Kakolewska, on the squad, and they are fed by Joanna Wolosz, the masterful playmaker of the new club world champions, the future looks bright. Certainly among the three teams with the best odds to win the ticket, the Poles are now in the role of favourites. The big question is how they will cope with it...

Starting line-up at most recent official match

Other key players

*Not on the roster for the upcoming qualifications

TURKEY

If there is one big favourite to win this tournament, then it is most probably Turkey. Under the guidance of arguably the world’s best coach in women’s volleyball, Giovanni Guidetti, the Turks have had a great season in 2019 – fourth in the VNL and second at EuroVolley. They suffered one setback though – lost to Olympic champions China and missed out on the first opportunity to book their ticket to Tokyo 2020. Here comes the second and they are eager to make up. 32-year-old captain Eda Erdem Dundar brings in not only her experience and her leadership, but also all the great stuff that comes with a top-notch middle blocker – unstoppable attacks (second most efficient spiker at EuroVolley), insurmountable blocks (best blocker of EuroVolley) and frequent aces from the serving line. At the other end of the age spectrum, there is Ebrar Karakurt. She is only 19, but the volleyball world is already talking about her universal talent. In between, the Turkish squad boasts great depth of players from all ages, buzzing with skills that coach Guidetti knows how to convert to an Olympic berth, which would be the second in the history of Turkish volleyball.

Starting line-up at most recent official match

Other key players

By Nikolay Markov - CEV External Writer

Eight classy teams in race for one spot at Tokyo 2020

Team Previews

#RoadtoTokyo