Defending champion Berlin Recycling Volleys is again in the final of the German championship. Coach Cedric Enard’s team won the third semifinal game of the best-of-five series against SWD Powervolleys Düren 3:1 (25:22, 25:19, 16:25, 25:13) on Wednesday evening and thus has in the final the chance to draw level with record winners VfB Friedrichshafen (13).
The eternal rival from Baden-Württemberg surprisingly missed his first match point after two wins with a 0:3 (23:25, 19:25, 23:25) at SVG Lüneburg. This means that VfB can now complete the tenth direct final duel with the Recycling Volleys in a row on Sunday (5.30 p.m.) in their own hall.
Berlin, champions six times in a row, had to go into the fourth set in the third game in the Max-Schmeling-Halle after two 3-1 wins. In the end it was enough for the Enard team against Düren, who had already lost in the cup final, to make it into the final early. French coach Enard will step down from his position at the end of the season for personal reasons, and will be succeeded by Brit Joel Banks.
Last year, the Berliners secured the title for the sixth time in a row thanks to a historic comeback. Never before in the history of the Bundesliga had a team come from a 2-0 deficit in the final series – until the volleys won the fifth game against VfB 3-1.
