MATCH INFO

Niterói, Brazil, August 6, 2011 - Belgium defeated Germany by 3–2 (23-25, 25-20,28-26, 20-25, 15-10) this Saturday morning at Caio Martins gymnasium and took the lead in Pool H with a 2-0 record. Germany is in second at 1-1 with Bulgaria and Puerto Rico yet to play.

The two European teams know each other very well and played a very balanced match. Belgium led in attacks (69-60), but Germany led in blocks (15-14) and in service aces (5-2). Both teams committed 26 errors, but Germany's came back to haunt it in the fifth set.

Belgium team captain Sam Deroo scored a match-high 25 points on a match-high 21 spikes and four blocks. Anshel Ver Eecke added 22 points on 17 spikes, three blocks and two aces.

Germany received 19 points from Paul Sprung on 15 spikes and four blocks. Bjoern Hoehne and Tom Strohbach each added 17 points. 
 
Germany held a 13-9 lead in the first set before Belgium began to rally. Germany led 16-15 at the second technical timeout (TTO) and Belgium tied it on a right-side attack from Francois Lecat. Germany’s Bjoern Hoehne scored with a left-side attack to give his team the lead. Oskar Klingner took the serve and opened with an ace and served for two more points, giving Germany a 20-16 lead. Belgium tied the score again at 21-21 and the two teams traded points until it was tied 23-23. Germany reached set point when Belgium was called for a lift and its next attack was called out of bounds.

A yellow card forced Belgium to open the second set with a 0-1 deficit, but it quickly made up the ground and took an 8-6 lead at the first TTO and increased it to 16-11 at the second.  Belgium reached set point first at 24-16 but Germany fought back with four straight points before Belgium called timeout and Dries Heyrman ended the set with a tip.

Germany led for much of the third set, but never by more than three points and Belgium came back to tie the score at 21-21. Germany reached set point first at 24-23, but Belgium called timeout and came back with a right-side attack from Lecat. Germany reached set point two more times, but Belgium fought each time before reaching its first set point at 27-26 and winning the set on a block by Deroo.

Germany got off to a fast start in the fourth set and took an 8-5 lead at the first TTO, increasing it to 11-5, including an ace from Tom Strohbach and attack by Hoehne. Belgium kept fighting and pulled the score close at 21-19, but Germany called timeout and came back with a left-side strike by Yannick Harms. Belgium was called for a back-row attack violation to give Germany a 23-19 lead and Belgium never recovered.

The tie breaker was even at 7-7 when Belgium scored twice on a left-side attack by Jolan Cox and Germany’s hitting error to lead 9-7. Germany scored on Sprung’s left-side attack. But Belgium scored two more straight points on Deroo’s block and a German hitting error to lead 11-8. Belgium reached match point at 14-10 and Cox won the match with his attack.