In Romania, playmaker Ilka Van de Vyver made sure her team Voluntari won the thriller against Romanian top team Alba Blaj (libero Britt Rampelberg 38% reception) 3-2 with two aces and 40% in the finishing. Dad Julien Van de Vyver was also able to smile broadly once again at his team Tirgo Mures' 3-0 win against Bacau.

Also in Greece, a win for Markopoulou (Lara Nagels 5p - 50%): 1-3 at Ilisiakos.
And in Hungary a 3-2 win for Bekescsabai the team of Dominika Strumilo, which had to correct a 0-2 deficit against DVTK (15-6 tiebreak).

In Italy, Milan (Laura Heyrman 3 - 25%) won 2-3 (tiebreak 13-15) the topper against Chieri (Kaja Grobelna 4p - 17% in one-and-a-half sets). Scandicci approached the top and barely even needed Britt Herbots to go 0-3 victorious at Casalmaggiore. Novara then again kept the upper hand on Busto Arsizio (Dominika Sobolska 5p - 70%) with 3-1.

No Belgian win in Germany, where Dresdner - despite 13p to 60% from Nathalie Lemmens - had to bow to Stuttgart. And although Celine Van Gestel proved top markswoman for Aachen (14p - 43% - 3 blocks), her team lost 2-3 against Suhl. Pauline Martin was even top markswoman with 17p (49%), but that did not prevent Schwerin from winning 3-0 against Vilsbiburg.

Two defeats in Japan for Lise Van Hecke and Queenseis: 2-3 against Red Rockets (Lise 26p - 38%) and 1-3 against Denso Airybees (Lise 22p - 39%).

In France, Mulhouse (Silke Van Avermaet 3p - 60%) won 3-0 against Cannes and Terville (Elise Van Sas 4p - 60%) suffered a 3-1 loss at Le Cannet.

Win for Bursa (coach Vital Heynen) against Alanya: 3-0 in Turkey.

Sam Deroo decisive in topper
In Russia, a sublime Sam Deroo again led his side Zenit Kazan to the lead after a 3-1 win against direct rival Lokomotiv with striking set figures: 25-23, 25-23, 27-29, 28-26. Sam was top scorer of the match with 20 points (38%), 4 blocks and 3 aces.

Milan and Ferre Reggers (13p - 30%) almost had the scalp of Civitanova (3-2). Wout D'Heer got paltry substitute minutes to see Trentino win at Piacenza (1-3). Mathijs Desmet did not feature at Padua, which lost 3-1 at Cisterna in Italy.

Also no Igor Grobelna in Poland, where his Pr. Warsaw won 0-3 at Katowice.
In Turkey, a win for Tursad (François Lecat): 3-1 against Kulübü.

Strong 3-0 win by PAOK ( Bram Van den Dries 10p - 50%) in Greece
against direct rival Milon.

Surprising loss in the Netherlands by Orion (still without the injured Liam McCluskey) at Sliedrecht: 3-2.

Coach Dries Hoeyberghs won in Denmark with Nordenskov: 3-1 against Ikast.

(compiled by Marcel Coppens)