Final Group Stage Action Sees Drama in #CLVolleyW Pools C, D, and E
Recap
The final day of action in the CEV ZEREN Group Champions League Volley 2026 | Women group stage delivered plenty of excitement and emotion, with fans across the continent watching their favourites give everything in decisive encounters.
In Pool C, Eczacıbaşı Istanbul edged Numia Vero Volley Milano in a five-set thriller (3-2), while Olympiacos swept past OK Železničar Lajkovac 3-1 to secure their place in the Play-Offs. In the next phase of their #CLVolleyW journey, the Greek side will face Numia Vero Volley Milano. As Pool C winners, Eczacıbaşı will take on Pool E leaders KS DevelopRes Rzeszów in the quarterfinals.
Pool D saw A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano cruise to a 3-0 victory over LKS Commercecon Łódź, while Ankara Zeren Spor Kulübü also claimed a straight-sets win. The Italian champions will now await the winner of the Play-Off clash between SSC Palmberg Schwerin (second in Pool E) and Ankara Zeren Spor Kulübü.
In Pool E, KS DevelopRes Rzeszów recorded a convincing 3-0 win against SSC Palmberg Schwerin, while Levallois Paris Saint-Cloud survived a five-set battle against Maritza Plovdiv. The French side’s victory secured third place in the pool and a continuation of their European journey in the CEV Cup.
Read more on the Road to Istanbul here.
Eczacibasi booked their place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 CEV Champions League, while Numia Vero Volley Milano will continue their campaign in the Play-Offs. This was the epilogue of a true trench battle between the two teams and a tactical chess match between head coaches Stefano Lavarini and Giulio Bregoli, who worked together 15 years ago. With the stakes extremely high, the scoreline truly reflected the balance of power on the court throughout the match. The winner was decided in a fifth set, which proved to be the fairest outcome considering everything that unfolded on the court.
The home team took control from the very start of the opening set, leading 16-11 midway through and later 21-16, before closing it out 25-20 to take a 1-0 lead. Khalia Imani Lanier scored six points for Milano, while Anna Danesi, Paola Egonu and Rebecca Piva added four each. On the other side, Magdalena Stysiak collected six points and Sinead Jack-Kisal four for Eczacibasi.
The second set saw the Turkish side in full control, creating separation in the second half of the set with a six-point advantage (16-10, then 21-15) and eventually winning it 25-18 to level the match at 1-1. Magdalena Stysiak and Ebrar Karakurt scored six points each for Eczacibasi, who posted an impressive 60% positive reception with only four errors. Paola Egonu led Milano with six points, while Rebecca Piva added four. Milano committed nine errors and recorded 50% positive reception.
A similar pattern followed in the third set, as Eczacibasi led from the start (8-5, 16-11) and extended the margin to 21-15 in the closing stages, winning the set 25-16 to move ahead 2-1. Ebrar Karakurt scored five points, while Vita Akimova was the most effective player for Milano with four.
Facing elimination, Milano went all-in in the fourth set and, after maintaining control throughout, reached a decisive 21-14 advantage before closing it 25-21 to force a tie-break. Paola Egonu, Khalia Imani Lanier and Rebecca Piva scored five points each for Milano, while Yaprak Erkek added four for Eczacibasi.
The hosts started the fifth set strongly, taking an early 3-0 and 6-1 lead to signal a potential victory. Eczacibasi responded by reducing the gap to 7-5, but Milano again moved ahead at 9-6. A run of four consecutive points then gave Eczacibasi a 10-9 lead. Egonu tied the score at 10-10, before Karakurt restored the advantage for the visitors at 11-10 and followed it up with a block on Egonu for 12-10. Egonu once again showed her world-class quality, scoring two consecutive points to make it 12-12. Rebecca Piva put Milano ahead 13-12, but Karakurt answered for 13-13. Dana Rettke then blocked Egonu for 14-13, and Karakurt sealed the victory with the final point for a 15-13 tie-break win, a 3-2 triumph overall, first place in the pool and a direct ticket to the quarterfinals.
Ebrar Karakurt was named MVP of the match.
Karakurt scored 20 points (two aces, two blocks) for Eczacibasi, as did Magdalena Stysiak (one ace, one block, 47% attack efficiency). Paola Egonu was Milano’s top scorer with 22 points (three blocks), while Rebecca Piva added 18 (two blocks).
Ebrar Karakurt“We are extremely happy, because Milano are an exceptional team. We finished in first place and deservedly qualified for the quarterfinals. There were many ups and downs in this match, which was extremely demanding from the first to the last point. I want to thank my teammates and the coaching staff, because this was a real team victory.”
Player of Eczacibasi Dynavit ISTANBUL
Pool C - OK Železničar LAJKOVAC (SRB) vs Olympiacos PIRAEUS (GRE) 1-3 (25-15, 17-25, 22-25, 26-28)
Olympiacos achieved their objective by defeating Železničar in Lajkovac and, with three wins and eight points, secured third place in Pool C, thus booking their spot in the Play-Offs. In the first match, played in Athens, Olympiacos had already beaten Železničar 3-1.
Železničar started the match highly motivated, taking an early 4-0 lead. On the other side, Olympiacos players appeared visibly nervous at the beginning, fully aware of the importance of the match and the opportunity to continue their Champions League journey into the Play-Offs in their debut season. Vanja Savić stood out early on with strong attacks that helped the team from Lajkovac extend the lead to 6-1. The Greek champions gradually regrouped and improved their performance, closing the gap with a 4-0 run to 6-5. Olympiacos later tied the score at 9-9, but Železničar responded convincingly, moving ahead 14-10, then 19-11, before closing the set 25-15 to take a 1-0 lead.
Milena Koprivica scored six points (two aces, two blocks) and Vanja Savić added five points (one ace) for Železničar, while Milica Kubura scored five points for Olympiacos. Železničar recorded a 57% positive reception rate in the opening set, compared to 36% for Olympiacos.
Olympiacos signaled a stronger performance at the start of the second set, quickly building leads of 5-1, 8-2 and 13-3. Železničar managed to reduce the deficit to 13-7, but Olympiacos extended their advantage again to 17-9. The visitors controlled the closing stages, leading 21-13 and eventually winning the set 25-17 to level the match at 1-1.
Milica Kubura led Olympiacos with seven points, while Yasmine Abderrahim and Amanda Coneo added four points each. For Železničar, Vasja Filipović, Vanja Savić and Milena Koprivica each scored three points.
The third set was closely contested until midway through, when Olympiacos built a four-point advantage at 15-11, largely thanks to excellent serving from Angeliki-Melina Emmanouilidou. The Greek side maintained the lead at 19-14 and 21-17, but Železničar fought back to 21-20. After Olympiacos moved ahead 23-20, Železničar closed the gap again to 23-22. Milica Kubura then scored to make it 24-22, and Olympiacos sealed the set 25-22 to take a 2-1 lead.
Kubura scored eight points in the third set (two blocks, 75% attack efficiency) for Olympiacos, while Vanja Savić added four points for Železničar.
Olympiacos opened the fourth set with a 7-3 lead, clearly pushing for the decisive victory. The visitors maintained the advantage, leading 13-8 midway through the set, before Železničar closed the gap to 13-10 and then 15-14. Železničar later tied the score at 19-19 and moved ahead 20-19 and 23-20. Olympiacos responded by leveling at 23-23, but Železničar reached set point first at 24-23. Kubura equalized, and an ace by Abderrahim gave Olympiacos their first match point at 25-24. After a brief exchange of errors and points on both sides, Kubura scored again to make it 27-26, and Amanda Coneo converted the third match point to close the set 28-26 and secure a 3-1 victory.
Železničar libero and captain Stefana Pakić was named MVP of the match. She recorded an impressive 83% positive reception rate, along with numerous effective defensive actions.
Milica Kubura was the match’s top scorer by a wide margin, finishing with 33 points (three blocks, 56% attack efficiency) for Olympiacos, while Vanja Savić led Železničar with 16 points (one ace, one block). Olympiacos outperformed their opponents at the net with 16 blocks, compared to six by Železničar.
Amanda Coneo“This is an incredible victory. I’m proud because we didn’t give up, even though we were very nervous. Everyone contributed, even if we didn’t play the way we wanted. The most important thing is that we won, and at this moment it really doesn’t matter how we achieved the victory. It was difficult from the very beginning. We struggled to handle Železničar’s strong serves, but once again, in the end, only the win matters.”
Player of Olympiacos PIRAEUS
A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano confirmed their authority in Pool D of the CEV ZEREN Group Champions League Volley 2026 with a dominant 3–0 home victory over ŁKS Commercecon Łódź on Wednesday evening at the Palaverde.
Already assured of qualification, the Italian champions delivered another composed and clinical performance to close their group campaign in style and secure first place in the pool. Conegliano controlled the match from start to finish, outscoring the visitors in attack (40–33), at the service line (7–1 aces) and at the net (9–2 blocks), while also capitalising on 19 opponent errors.
The hosts set the tone early, applying constant pressure with their serve and transition play to open a clear gap in the first set and close it 25–17. ŁKS struggled to find rhythm against Conegliano’s organised block-defense system, which limited their attacking options throughout the match.
The Polish side showed more resistance in the second set and briefly stayed within reach, but Conegliano remained calm and efficient in the decisive phases, once again pulling away to take the set 25–18. From there, the momentum fully belonged to the reigning champions, who produced a commanding third set, conceding just 12 points to complete the sweep.
Isabelle Haak was named Most Valuable Player after another all-round performance, leading by example as Conegliano maintained their high level until the final point.
With the win, Conegliano extend their remarkable Champions League group-stage winning streak and continue their pursuit of a historic third consecutive continental title, while ŁKS Commercecon Łódź conclude their Pool D campaign looking ahead to their next challenge.
Isabelle Haak“I’m really happy about this victory. We played a stable game and we managed to keep first place in the group. Now we will see who we face in the quarterfinals.”
Player of A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano
Pool D - DRESDNER SC (GER) vs ANKARA Zeren Spor Kulübü (TUR) 0-3 (17-25, 22-25, 16-25)
ANKARA Zeren Spor Kulübü continued their impressive debut Champions League campaign with a convincing 3–0 away victory over Dresdner SC on Wednesday evening at the Margon Arena Dresden, in Pool D of the CEV ZEREN Group Champions League Volley 2026.
The Turkish side imposed their authority from the outset, finishing the match with clear statistical superiority. Zeren outscored the hosts in winner attacks (46–34), dominated at the net with 12 blocks to just one by Dresdner, and added five aces to underline their control throughout the encounter.
After a balanced opening phase, Zeren took full command of the first set, gradually pulling away to secure it 25–17. Dresdner showed improved resistance in the second set and briefly stayed in contention, but Zeren once again proved sharper in key moments to close it 25–22. The visitors then produced their most dominant stretch in the third set, limiting the home side to 16 points and completing the sweep with confidence.
Svetlana Gatina led the way for Zeren and was deservedly named MVP after finishing with 18 points, including three blocks and two aces. She was instrumental at both ends of the court as Zeren maintained their rhythm and composure throughout the match.
Svetlana Gatina“I’m really happy because I felt how much our team wanted this win. Everything worked well for us tonight and it was a special match for me. I’m proud of the team and thankful for this moment.”
Player of ANKARA Zeren Spor Kulübü
Stevan Ljubicic“First, I would like to thank everyone who came to the game to support our team. I am happy about the victory, I am happy about how we are playing, and I am most happy because we are promoting two young and promising players for the future of Turkish Volleyball. Congratulations again on the victory.”
Head coach of ANKARA Zeren Spor Kulübü
Alexander Waibl“First of all, congratulations to the great team from Ankara. They were the better team again today. They have a lot of power. For us, with our young team, it was still a great experience to play here. We had some great rallies, some really big battles. There were a few moments in the game where we were on the same level. But in general, we have to accept that there is a learning process ahead of us. We are looking forward to our next opponents in the CEV Cup.”
Head coach of DRESDNER SC
Pool E - KS Developres RZESZÓW (POL) vs SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN (GER) 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-19)
KS Developres RZESZÓW booked their ticket to the Quarter finals after securing the first place in Pool E, finishing the group stage with a clean 3-0 against SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN.
Rzeszow won in the first matchup in Leg 3, but after a tough battle in five sets. However, on Wednesday, in the final day of the pool phase the Polish showed great determination and motivation, securing the win in straight sets.
The opening set saw Palmberg Schwerin take early control, edging ahead from 2-0 to 3-1 and then 6-4 after a serving error by Mia Kirchhoff, before extending the gap to 8-5 and 13-8. With Rzeszow struggling to find consistency, the Poles’ head coach Cesar Hernandez called for more bravery, urging his team to keep the rhythm, take risks, and target the last meter of the court. Schwerin maintained their advantage at 16-12, even as rallies grew longer, with Taylor Bannister finishing one in style, and the Polish side still trailed at 17-14. Rzeszow slowly clawed back to 19-17, but it was Leana Grozer who steadied Schwerin, repeatedly exploiting weak spots in the Polish defence. Just when Schwerin seemed poised to close the set, Rzeszow raised their concentration, turned the tables at 24-23, and snatched the set 25-23. Despite Schwerin’s edge in service with two aces to none, Developres Rzeszow made the difference in attack (16-10) and at the net, finishing with two kill blocks to Schwerin’s one.
The second set unfolded in a much more balanced way, with both teams trading points early on at 5-5 and 8-8. Schwerin applied pressure from the service line, but Rzeszow responded calmly (11-9): their reception held firm, the defence was well positioned, and this stability allowed them to organise their offense more intelligently, taking a 14–11 lead. Kirchhoff reignited the contest with a well-placed ace to close the gap to 14-13, and the tension showed immediately as Developres committed an error to level the score at 14-14. Laura Jansen stepped up without hesitation to restore Rzeszow’s advantage at 15-14, and from there the set remained tight at 16-16 and 19-18. In the decisive moments, the Polish side showed greater composure, pulling away to 21-19 and then 23-21 before closing the set 25-21 with confidence.
The third set quickly became a showcase of Rzeszow’s dominance. The score was level early at 3-3, but the hosts gradually pulled ahead, 5-4, then 9-7, and 10-8, before extending their lead to 12-8 and 13-8. From that point, Rzeszow maintained total control over the court, dictating the pace and flow of rallies to keep Schwerin on the back foot. Taylor Bannister created the first match point at 24-19, and shortly after, an ace from Marrit Jasper sealed the set and the match, leaving no room for doubt about the outcome.
Statistically, the match reflected Rzeszow’s overall control and efficiency. Both teams recorded four aces each, but Developres held a clear advantage in reception, completing 53 positive passes to Schwerin’s 38, which allowed them to organise attacks more effectively. The spike battle was closely contested, with Rzeszow edging Schwerin 45-39 in winning spikes. At the net, the hosts dominated the block, registering eight to Schwerin’s three. These numbers highlight how Rzeszow combined solid defence, precise attacking, and disciplined net play to secure the victory.
The MVP of the match was Julita Piasecka, who delivered an outstanding performance for Rzeszow. She scored 13 points with remarkable efficiency, converting 55% of her attacks, and played a key role in her team’s offensive dominance and overall control throughout the match.
Julita Piasecka“I am so happy that we delivered this game. The first two sets were very important for us, so I am really proud of the team and how we performed.”
MVP and player of KS Developres RZESZÓW
Levallois Paris Saint Cloud continued writing their history in the 2025–2026 club season. With a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Bulgarian champions Maritza Plovdiv, the French side secured third place in Pool E and earned their spot in the CEV Cup quarterfinals.
The first set was tightly contested. The hosts led 5-4 before a serving error by Borislava Saykova gave Levallois a small reprieve. By 10-6, tension was high, particularly around Plovdiv performance. However, the Bulgarian blocks began to work effectively, and Maritza even took a temporary lead at 18-16. However, Levallois responded with strong serving, which disrupted the Bulgarian reception, with Levallois’ Zuzana Sepelova making life particularly difficult for the guests. The hosts’ run ended with a net error. Anastasiia Kraiduba stepped up for Les Mariannes, scoring three crucial points in a row and finishing with four points in the set, achieving 100% attack efficiency on those decisive actions. The set finally went 26-24 to Levallois after an error by Iva Dudova, capping a thrilling opening battle.
The second set saw Maritza Plovdiv take early control, moving ahead 4-2 and then 9-5, which prompted Levallois head coach Alessandro Orefice to call a timeout. The Bulgarians maintained their edge at 14-11, despite giving away two points through serve errors at that stage. Sepelova brought Levallois back into the fight with her fifth ace of the match to level the score at 16-16, but Dudova responded with composure in attack, forcing an error from the hosts. From there, the teams went point for point, before Maritza pulled clear at 18-16 thanks to a quick attack through the middle by Borislava Saykova. Dudova was again decisive at the net to extend the lead to 22-19, while Magdalena Bukovska answered with a clever play of her own to close the gap to 21-22 and keep Levallois within touching distance. In the end, Maritza showed greater efficiency in finishing their attacks, closing the set 25-22 and leveling the match at 1-1.
Maritza Plovdiv took control early in the third set, moving ahead 3-1 while Levallois struggled with their reception in the opening exchanges. Dudova applied strong pressure from the service line to extend the lead to 7-4, and Maritza maintained a comfortable point difference at 12-6. The Bulgarians continued to dictate the pace at 14-12. before breaking away decisively to 22-16. Once again, Maritza’s solid blocking proved crucial, allowing them to take full control of the set and close it out 25-17, edging closer to the overall victory.
Levallois started the fourth set strongly, racing to a 3-0 and then 6-2 lead as the Bulgarians were troubled by a growing number of unforced errors, which pushed the score to 11-3. Maritza gradually found their rhythm and reduced the gap to 11-7, with Vanessa Agbortabi proving effective in attack to bring them back into contention at 12-11. Despite the comeback, Levallois managed to stay in front at 16-12 and held off the pressure at 19-18. The hosts then created some breathing room at 21-18 and 22-18, helped by an ace from Nika Milošić that exposed a poor reception from Maritza. Levallois showed composure in a decisive long rally to reach 24-20, before closing the set 25-22.
The fifth set began evenly at 2-2 before Levallois gained momentum to move ahead 5-2, forcing Maritza to call a timeout. The Bulgarians stayed in the fight thanks to their blocking, closing the gap to 6-4, but Anastasiia Kraiduba answered immediately with a powerful, sharp attack to restore Levallois’ lead at 7-4. Boryana Angelova then stepped up with an ace to make it 7-6, followed by another successful block from Maritza to level the score at 7-7. Levallois regained control at 10-7, capitalizing on a poor reception while continuing to apply pressure with well-directed serves. Another ace, this time from Bukovska, extended the advantage, and Bianca Bertolino capped the run to make it 15-10, securing Levallois’ win and further journey in the European Cups.
Overall, Les Mariannes finished with stronger performance on the serve - 14 to eight aces, but the Bulgarians proved better in blocking (18 to 15 kill blocks). The two teams struggled in reception (53% positive by Levallois and 37% positive by Maritza), while Maritza finished slightly better in attack (39% to 29% exc. in attack).
Alessandro Orefice“We are really proud, not just me. We’re continuing to write the history of this team and this club with these three victories in the Champions League. We need to continue with this mentality, tonight was a really big boost for us.”
Head coach of LEVALLOIS PARIS Saint Cloud
Bianca Bertolino“We knew it was going to be a battle from the beginning so I’m really happy for all of us! I’m excited to see what’s next.”
MVP and outside hitter of LEVALLOIS PARIS Saint Cloud
Ahmetcan Ersimsek“I think it was a good battle. Congratulations to the French team – they didn’t give up until the end. It’s always difficult to close out a match in their home hall. I’m disappointed about the first set – we were leading 22–17. Overall, I believe that for most of the match, except for the last two sets, we were better in all elements of the game.”
Head coach of Maritza PLOVDIV