Belgium celebrate victory in their opening 2015 FIVB World League match against Finland
Tampere, Finland, May 23, 2015 – Belgium came out strongly in their FIVB World League 2015 opener stamping their authority over home team Finland to win 3-2 (25-20, 30-28, 20-25, 23-25, 15-7). After joining the World League only last year, Belgium place themselves in a favourable position in Pool E also containing Portugal and the Netherlands.
Belgium had won only one of the four previous head to heads against Finland of 2014, producing an upset to the Finns who had lost only one of their past five matches on home turf in Tampere.
Top scorer of the day went to Sam Deroo claiming an impressive 25 points.
Belgium captain Sam Deroo: ”We started with very good energy and we had a lot of enthusiasm in our play, which is very important. In the tie-break we could fight back after two good sets from Finland.”
Belgium coach Dominique Baeyens: ”We started quite well and we took great blocks and defence was also good. After two sets Finland put more pressure on us with strong serves. Finnish spikers Siltala and Sivula started also attacking better. In the tie-break we made the difference in one rotation”.
The two teams will face each other again on May 24 in the Intercontinental Group 2 match in Tampere, Finland.
Key points• Belgium won their opening 2015 FIVB World League match against Finland.
• Belgium claimed the first two sets before Finland pulled back the second two. Belgium secured the tie-break to win 3-2 (25-20, 30-28, 20-25, 23-25, 15-7) in Pool E.
• Belgium and Finland will face each other again on May 24.
• Netherlands leads Pool E with five points and Belgium is now second with two points.
• Dick Kooy of Netherlands leads the scoring with 39 points, Hugo Gaspar of Portugal has 38 while Gavin Schmitt has scored 36.
Top scoring performances• 25 – Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 25 - Dick Kooy of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 24 - Hugo Gaspar of Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 21 - Antti Siltala of Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 21 - Urpo Sivula of Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 21 - Kay van Dijk of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 19 - Alexandre Ferreira of Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 19 - Gavin Schmitt of Canada v Cuba (May 17)
• 17 - Gavin Schmitt of Canada v Cuba (May 16)
Top scoring performances by team• 113 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 106 - Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 105 – Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 102 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 98 - Netherlands v Portugal (May 16)
• 86 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 16)
Top blocking performances• 5 – Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 5 - Cornelius Bontje Johannes of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 4 – Eemi Tervaportti of Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 4 - Nimir Abdel-Aziz of Netherlands v Portugal (May 16)
• 3 - Fabricio Silva of Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 3 - Joao Jose of Portugal v Netherlands (May 16)
• 3 - Felix Chapman Pineiro of Cuba v Canada (May 16)
• 3 - Graham Vigrass of Canada v Cuba (May 16)
Top blocking performances by team• 17 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 16 - Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 12 - Netherlands v Portgual (May 16)
• 11 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 10 - Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 10 - Cuba v Canada (May 16)
Top serving performances• 6 – Pieter Coolman of Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 4 – Antti Siltala of Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 4 - Dick Kooy of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 3 - Andre Reis Lopes of Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 3 - Jeroen Rauwerdink of Netherlands v Portugal (May 16)
• 3 - Andre Reis Lopes of Portugal v Netherlands (May 16)
Top serving performances by team• 10 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 9 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 16)
• 7 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 6 – Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 6 - Canada v Cuba (May 17)
Highest scorer by round• Day 1: 17 - Gavin Schmitt of Canada v Cuba (May 16)
• Day 2: 25 - Dick Kooy of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• Day 3: 25 - Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 23)
Highest set score• Day 1: Canada v Cuba, 26-24 (May 16)
• Day 2: Canada v Cuba and Portugal v Netherlands, 26-24 (May 17)
• Day 3: Belgium v Finland, 30-28 (May 23)
Highest scoring matches• Day 1: Netherlands v Portugal (May 16) (23-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-20) - 184
• Day 2: Netherlands v Portugal (May 17) (17-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-12) – 208
• Day 3: Belgium v Finland (May 23) (25-20, 30-28, 20-25, 23-25, 15-7)- 218
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