Some fine performances by the Belgian volleyball women abroad.

In France, Mulhouse won the topper against Béziers 2-3, in which Silke Van Avermaet played a big part with her 20 points at 57%. She was thus also top scorer of the match and was named MVP. Although she was only in the starting line-up for one set, Elise Van Sas also won the match with Terville against France Avenir 1-3.

In Italy, Britt Herbots (8 points, 40%) ensured her team Scandicci won 0-3 against Novara to unexpectedly finish second in the regular league. Laura Heyrman (6 points, 44%) also made it easy with Milan against Cuneo (3-0). Kaja Grobelna was rested at Chieri and saw her team lose 0-3 to Florence.

Dominika Sobolska did not get to play at Busto Arsizio, but did see her team win 1-3 against Bergamo.

In Germany, Pauline Martin (25 points, 45%) was top scorer with Vilsbiburg, but that was not enough for a win against Wiesbaden (3-1). Celine Van Gestel also did not play badly with Aachen (14 points, 41%), but she too looked set for a 3-1 defeat at Münster. In the title series, Dresdner (Nathalie Lemmens) was off, but her team already won two of the three play-off matches.

Bursa and Vital Heynen won one set against topper Fenerbahce (1-3).

While Olympiakos won the cup in Greece, Dominika Strumilo reached the semi-finals of the playoffs in Hungary with Bekescsabai after a thriller in the fifth and deciding match against Ujpest: 3-2 (15-11).

In Romania, Freya Aelbrecht scored six points (22%) for coach Julien Van de Vyver's Tirgu Mures, but the team lost 3-0 at Brasov. Ilka Van de Vyver barely needed to enter the field at Voluntari to see her team win 0-3 at Bacau. Britt Rampelberg also barely got to play, but saw her team Alba Blaj go down against Lugoj: 3-0.

Stunting by Ferre and Milan

With 18 points (35%), Ferre Reggers caused a small stunt with Milan in the first quarter-final for the Italian title. They went on to win 2-3 at favourites Piacenza, but they took clear revenge in the second game and levelled the score 1-1 after a 1-3 win, despite 13 points (28%) from Ferre. Although he was not on the field for a second, Wout D'Heer is all but assured of a place in the semi-finals with Trentino, who were twice the better of Monza (3-0 and 2-3).

Narrow loss to François Lecat with Tursad: 3-2 at Cizre Bld.

Sam Deroo (14 points, 54%) showed again at leaders Zenit Kazan, winning smoothly 3-0 at Neftianik.

Dries Hoeyberghs also continues to do well as coach at Nordenskov, which won the first quarterfinal 3-1 against Middelfart.

In Croatia, another win for Simon Luka Vlahovic, who went on to win 1-3 with Mladost Kastela at Trnje.

In the Dutch play-offs, a 0-3 win by Orion at Limax. Liam McCluskey's team is in the lead after four games in the playoffs.

In Greece, Paok Saloniki's first topper was scheduled against Panathinaikos Athens last night. It turned out to be a thriller of note. After Bram Van den Dries' team had already surprisingly taken the first set, Panathinaikos came back: 1-1. But the third set was a cracker to the max. PAOK seemed to have a view of 1-2 at 20-24 and it got no fewer than six opportunities to do so, but Panathinaikos put 31-29 on the boards at the fifth chance to win the set It remained evenly matched in the fourth set, but an unleashed Hernandez recorded the 3-1.