A few years ago, Eline Van Elsen and Laure Flament were still teammates at VDK Gent. They shared the locker room, the training sessions and their ambitions. Since then, their paths have separated: Eline (22) moved to VC Oudegem, while Laure (28) joined Darta Bevo Roeselare.
But one important link remains: Lennert Van Elsen — Eline’s brother and Laure’s partner — middle blocker at Knack Roeselare, who turned 25 on April 1st.

Was Eline the one who brought you together?
Laure: “No, not really. We played together in Ghent, but I didn’t know Lennert that well back then. The spark came later, once I joined Bevo and he was playing for Knack. That’s when things clicked.”

You just finished the play‑off semifinals, which were only decided in the third match.
Eline: “With the score at 1–1, everything came down to Sunday. Roeselare won the first match, we won the second, so a decider was needed. It was a strange match: whoever won the long rallies took control of the set. Roeselare did that better at key moments and won 3–1.
They’ll now play for the title against Asterix Avo. But first comes the Cup final — again against Roeselare. Four meetings in a very short time.”

Laure: “Both teams know each other inside out now. If we had faced someone else in the play‑offs, the Cup final would feel different. Don’t expect major tactical surprises. We’ve been preparing for Oudegem for weeks, and they’ve done the same. There are no secrets left.”

You both have experience in Cup finals. Do you pass that on to the younger players?
Laure: “In 2022 we won the championship with Ghent. I’ve already played four finals in the Sportpaleis — now the Afas Dome — and each time we finished with silver. The hunger for gold is huge.
At Bevo, the goal was clear from day one: reach both finals. We did. Now we want to win.”

Eline: “I’ve been in the League for seven years. I won the championship and the Cup with Asterix Avo. With Ghent, we twice finished second in the Cup. This will be my fourth final. When you get this far, you want the trophy.”

How do you handle the special atmosphere of such a big event?
Eline: “By enjoying it. Not making it bigger than it is. And remembering that play‑off results don’t matter anymore. This is a completely different match. Roeselare hadn’t lost a single match in their own hall, but in the Afas Dome that advantage disappears. The conditions are the same for both teams. We have a lot of experience — maybe even more than they do.”

Laure: “After so many finals, the size of the event doesn’t overwhelm me anymore. Several of us have been through this before — Yana De Leeuw, Lynn Blenckers, myself. A Cup final is about managing stress.
It’s a pity that Nikita De Paepe is out with a torn ACL, but Janne Deleu is doing a great job stepping in.”

Injuries are becoming more common in top volleyball. Are you candidates for the Yellow Tigers’ summer programme?
Laure: “I was out for a long time this season. After a tough rehab, I’m finally back at my level. The play‑offs and the Cup were my targets.
But I won’t join the Yellow Tigers this summer. My job as an occupational therapist in special education comes first.”

Eline: “I’ve had few injuries this year. On Sunday I played with my thigh taped, but just as a precaution. At the end of the season, everyone has something. This summer, I’m taking a break from volleyball. I love cycling. Last year I raced six local events — about 40 km at 35 km/h. It’s pure release for me. I love it.”

Image: d’Nyserweg
Article: WV