Across Europe, the national volleyball champions have been crowned. So far, no new Belgian champion to join Sam Deroo, but we do count four Belgian runners-up.

In Azerbaijan, Murov Baku and Seppe Baetens just missed out on the title against Azerrail. Still, the player from Lennik was named Best Outside Hitter of the league and selected for the Dream Team.

In Italy, Trentino won the first match of the play-off finals in front of 4182 fans, 3-0 against Civitanova (25-20, 25-23, 25-21), featuring former Maaseik player Kamil Rychlicki in the starting six and Alessandro Michieletto (20 pts – 54%) as MVP.
In the play-offs for fifth place and a CEV Cup ticket, Milan (Ferre Reggers 8 pts – 30%) beat Cisterna 3-0, and Modena also advanced after a win over Padua.

Big surprise in Poland: none of the top teams made it to the finals. Kedzierzyn only managed fifth place after defeating Rzeszow, and Jastrzebski will battle Project Warsaw for third.

So who’s in the final?
Zawiercie stunned by overturning a 2-1 deficit in Warsaw to win 2-3 (14-16 in the tie-break), with Patrik Lalu as MVP before 4680 spectators.
Even more unexpected: Lublin secured a spot in the final by beating Jastrzebski 2-3 in front of 3112 fans. MVP Kelvin Sasak (28) scored 22 points. Let’s not forget Lublin also won the CEV Challenge Cup earlier this season.

In Spain, Tomas Rousseaux is nearing the title with Guaguas, who lead the final series 2-0 after consecutive 3-0 wins over Soria: Tomas scored 14 points (59%), then 12 (55%).

In Germany, Simon Plaskie, although not on court, is close to a championship with Recycling Berlin, following a 3-0 win over Lüneburg (17, 21, 19 pts against).

Lise also in the finals
Despite not playing a single point, Laura Heyrman is Italian runner-up, as Milan lost the third and final match to the dominant Conegliano, led by star Isabelle Haak, who scored 22 points (43%).

In Germany, Nathalie Lemmens also ended as runner-up with Dresden, who couldn’t stop Schwerin and their 18-year-old sensation Leana Grözer. Dresden did win two sets in the third match, with 7 points from Nathalie (45%).

Nathalie will move to Italy next season, while Anna Koulberg moves from Potsdam to Stuttgart, where she’s expected to team up with Charlotte Krenicky and Pauline Martin.

In Greece, another Belgian runner-up: Ilka Van de Vyver. In the third final game, she and PAOK Thessaloniki forced a tie-break (Ilka scored 6 pts – 33%), but Olympiakos proved too strong.

In France, no finals for Britt Rampelberg. Her team Venelles managed to force a deciding match in Nantes, but fell at home 1-3 despite Britt’s excellent 55% reception. Levallois Paris are the other finalists.

One title is still within reach for Lise Van Hecke in Japan, where Marvelous Osaka beat Denso in the semifinals (Lise 12 pts – 37%). Their opponent in the final will be the Kawasaki Red Rockets.
In Belgium, the women's champion will be decided Thursday at 6 p.m. between Asterix Avo and Davo Roeselare.

In the men's championship, Roeselare and Haasrode Leuven will face off: May 2 in Roeselare, May 6 in Leuven, May 9 in Roeselare, possibly May 13 in Leuven, and a potential fifth match on May 16 in Roeselare.

(compiled by Marcel Coppens)