Philippines and Thailand crown their national champions; cup winners emerge in Czechia, Iceland, Italy and Spain

Two countries in southeastern Asia, the Philippines and Thailand, saw their national volleyball champions crowned last week, while five teams triumphed as national cup winners in four European countries – Czechia, Iceland, Italy, and Spain.

Czechia

Dukla Liberec snatched their first women’s Czechia Cup trophy on Monday of last week. In front of full stands at the Klimeska hall in Kutna Hora, they won the national cup final against Kralovo Pole Brno in a convincing 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-11) final. Dukla’s Slovakian opposite Nikola Kvapilova was the best scorer of the match with 18 points, including two kill blocks and an ace. Earlier on the second day of the two-day final four event in Kutna Hora, Olymp Prague secured a 3-2 (25-14, 25-13, 23-25, 20-25, 15-11) victory over Ostrava for the bronze medal.

Dukla Liberec’s team roster

Iceland

Both the women’s and the men’s Iceland Cup finals were held on Saturday, the last day of a three-day event at the Digranes Hall in Kopavogur. Afturelding Mosfellsbaer claimed the women’s trophy for the fifth time in the club’s history. They mastered a 3-0 (26-24, 25-23, 25-22) sweep of the deciding match against KA Akureyri. Afturelding’s opposite Thelma Dogg Gretarsdottir put on a stellar performance, and scoring as many as 31 points across the three sets of the final, including five aces and a block. In Thursday’s semifinals, Afturelding and KA defeated Blakfelag Hafnarfjardar and HK Kopavogur in straight sets – by 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-14) and 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-19), respectively.

Afturelding Mosfellsbaer’s team roster

In the men’s final later on Saturday, Hamar Hveragerdi achieved a 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-16) victory over Throttur Fjardabyggd to celebrate their second consecutive national cup title. Both of Friday’s semifinals offered five-set battles, in which Hamar overcame KA Akureyri in a 3-2 (25-19, 28-26, 22-25, 19-25, 15-10) thriller, while Throttur managed a 3-2 (25-16, 16-25, 27-25, 21-25, 15-13) rollercoaster win over Stal-Ulfur Kopavogur.

Hamar Hveragerdi’s team roster

Italy

Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano defended their women’s Italy Cup trophy on Sunday, claiming it for the fifth consecutive and sixth overall time in the club’s history. In front of 6,743 spectators on the stands (pictured in the main photo; credits: legavolleyfemminile.it), in a hard-fought final showdown, the climax of a two-day final-four event in Trieste, Imoco emerged with a 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-11) victory over Allianz Vero Volley Milan. While Vero Volley’s opposite Paola Egonu topped the scorers’ charts with a huge 35 points and her Imoco counterpart Isabelle Haak of Sweden led the winners with 23, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award went to Imoco’s Polish setter and captain Joanna Wolosz of Poland. In Saturday’s semifinals, Imoco delivered a straight-set 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-12) win over Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri, while Vero Volley dealt with another five-set duel, in which they achieved a 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-17, 14-25, 15-10) victory over Savino Del Bene Scandicci.

Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano’s team roster

Philippines

The 2024 edition of the Philippines’ men’s PNVF Champions League took place last week at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila, with eight teams participating. In Saturday’s final, Cignal HD Spikers Manila celebrated a 3-1 (27-25, 31-33, 25-16, 25-18) victory over D'Navigators Iloilo and claimed their second title and third consecutive medal in the competition. The bronze medals went to College of Saint Benilde Manila, who mastered a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 26-24) sweep of the third-place match against VNS Asereht Griffins Manila.

Cignal’s 24-year-old outside hitter Joshua Umandal was recognized as MVP and a member of the tournaments’ Dream Team. The full lineup for the Dream Team included also included setter Ej Casana (Cignal), opposite Kevin Montemayor (VNS), outside hitter Barbie San Andres (D'Navigators), middle blockers Jayvee Sumagaysay (D'Navigators) and John Paul Bugaoan (Cignal), and libero Bryle Gomez (Benilde).

Spain

Spain’s men’s national cup tournament, consisting of quarterfinals, semifinals and a final, took place over four days last week at the Pabellon Europa in Leganes. In Sunday’s trophy match, played in front of 4000 fans, Guaguas Las Palmas celebrated a 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-20) victory over Unicaja Costa de Almeria to pick up their eighth crown in the history of the competition. Their 38-year-old setter Miguel Angel De Amo was named MVP of the tournament. In the previous day’s semifinals, Guaguas managed a 3-1 (27-25, 27-29, 25-17, 25-12) win over Cisneros Alter Santa Cruz de Tenerife, while Unicaja produced a 3-1 (22-25, 25-13, 25-17, 25-20) victory over ConectaBalear Manacor.

Guaguas Las Palmas’s team roster

Guaguas receive the 2024 national cup trophy (Photo credits: rfevb.com)

Thailand

Nakhon Ratchasima Huione QminC made history on Sunday by becoming Thailand’s first volleyball club to sweep both the women’s and the men’s national titles for two seasons in a row. Their men’s team delivered a 3-2 (16-25, 25-21, 25-11, 21-25, 15-6) victory over Diamond Food Fine Chef - Air Force Samut Sakhon in a thrilling showdown to claim their ninth league gold. A five-set battle also determined the bronze medallists. Phitsanulok made the podium after a 3-2 (7-25, 25-23, 26-24, 22-25, 15-12) win over Kohkood Cabana A4S Ratchaburi in Saturday’s third-place match.

Nakhon Ratchasima’s 29-year-old Uzbekistani outside hitter Islomjon Sobirov was named MVP of the season. He was also named as the Best Scorer and as a member of the Dream Team, which featured setter Saranchit Charoensuk (Nakhon Ratchasima), opposite Amorntep Konhan (Phitsanulok), outside hitter Kouhei Yanagisawa (Diamond Food), middle blockers Azizbek Kuchkorov (Nakhon Ratchasima) and Anuchit Pakdeekaew (Diamond Food), and libero Thanapat Charoensuk (Nakhon Ratchasima) as well. Nakhon Ratchasima’s Indonesian striker Farhan Halim received the Best Server prize.

In the women’s final, defending champions Nakhon Ratchasima Huione QminC produced a 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-18) victory over Diamond Food Fine Chef - Air Force Bangkok to collect their sixth national crown. The bronze went to Supreme TIP Chonburi - E.Tech, who defeated KKU Khonkaen Star by a convincing 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-21) scoreline in the third-place game.

The MVP honours went to Nakhon Ratchasima‘s 24-year-old Japanese libero Kotoe Inoue, who was also named on the Dream Team along with setter Sirima Manakij (Nakhon Ratchasima), opposite Misaki Yamauchi (Diamond Food), outside hitters Sasipapron Janthawisut (Nakhon Ratchasima) and Siriwan Deekaew (Supreme), and middle blockers Pleumjit Thinkaow (Supreme) and Kaewkalaya Kamulthala (Diamond Food). Sasipapron Janthawisut also took the awards for Best Scorer and Best Server.