International women: Rivers, Lee lead Stuttgart in Germany; Bajema, Chemik Police win in Poland
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The season is winding down for pro women around the world, but there was still plenty going on. There are hundreds of American women playing professional volleyball internationally. Our weekly report tracks many of them. Almost all in this report are former NCAA stars:
Germany
Stuttgart claimed the German league title 3-2 by sweeping Potsdam 25-14, 25-20, 25-23.
Simone Lee and Krystal Rivers led with 18 points each in the deciding fifth match. Lee had 16 kills (.355) and two blocks. Rivers added 17 kills (.625) and an ace. T’ara Ceasar did not play for Stuttgart. Madison Lilley came off the bench for Potsdam in all three sets, while starting the third. She did not record any stats. This is Stuttgart’s first title since 2019 and second overall. Potsdam finished as silver medalists for the first time ever, its best performance in the league.
In the third match, Potsdam upset Stuttgart again, this time 25-15, 14-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-9. Lilley had one kill for Potsdam, in a brief substitute appearance. Lee and Rivers both had 22 points for Stuttgart. Lee added 20 kills (.186) and two blocks. Rivers had 21 kills (.173) and one block.
In the fourth match, Stuttgart held off Potsdam with the closest of margins to win 25-23, 19-25, 27-25, 22-25, 17-15. Lee was top scorer as she had 24 kills (.316) and four aces. Rivers added 20 kills (.158) and two blocks. Lilley and Lauren Page both made substitute appearances for Potsdam, but did not record any stats.
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Italy
Conegliano leads the best-of-five series 2-1.
In a tightly contested second match, Imoco Conegliano came away with the victory by beating Monza 23-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-10. Kathryn Plummer had 15 kills (.297), one block, and an ace for Conegliano. Teammate Megan Courtney-Lush came off the bench to add two kills while also recording 64% positive reception on 14 attempts. For Monza, Jordan Larson had 12 kills (.242). Dana Rettke added four kills (.444) and an ace.
In the third match, Conegliano swept Monza 25-23, 25-12, 25-22. Plummer had 12 kills (.417), one block, and an ace. Courtney-Lush made only a brief appearance, recording two service receptions 100% positively. For Monza, Larson chipped in eight kills (.421), while Rettke added three (.167).
Turkey
THY’s season ended to Eczacibasi 25-22, 25-19, 25-17. Madison Kingdon-Rishel added one kill (.000) in a limited substitute appearance. Lauren Carlini had two kills while leading THY to hit .242 in the match. THY ended the season in fourth place.
VakifBank bounced back and overcame Fenerbahce 25-16, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20 in the second match of the finals. Michelle Barstch-Hackley had five kills (.125) and an ace. She was also the match’s top receiver, passing 54% positive. Chiaka Ogbogu did not play due to foreigner limits.
Fenerbahce upended VakifBank again in the third match 20-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-19. Barstch-Hackley had only two kills (-.077) and three blocks. She recorded 25 service receptions, which she passed 52% positively. Ogbogu made a brief appearance, chipping in one kill for Vakifbank. Fenerbahce leads the best-of-five series 2-1.
Poland
Chemik Police claimed the Polish title by beating Rzeszow 19-25, 24-26, 25-16, 25-10, 15-7) to win the series 3-0. Kara Bajema had 12 kills (.239), two blocks, and an ace for Rzeszow as it finished runner up in Poland for the third consecutive season.
In the second match, Chemik won 15-25, 25-21, 25-12, 25-22. Bajema had nine kills (.100), one block, and one ace for Rzeszow.
LKS Lodz kept momentum by beating Budowlani Lodz 25-22, 25-21, 19-25, 25-17 in the second match of the series for third place. Veronica Jones-Perry was the second top scorer for LKS Lodz as she had 14 kills (.265), one block, and an ace.
LKS Lodz finished in third place by beating Budowlani Lodz 3-0, 25-18, 25-18, 23-25, 25-18 in the third match. Jones-Perry finished with 13 kills (.429) and five aces.
France
Mulhouse fell in the final series of the French championship to Volero Le Cannet, losing the series 3-0. In the final match of the series, Yossiana Pressley had 23 kills (.677), two blocks, and two aces for Mulhouse, before exiting the match with an injury.
Champions Around the World
In Spain, La Laguna were crowned champions for the first time. Jenelle Jordan (Cal) and Jessica Wanger (Tampa) were league winners with La Laguna.
In Israel, Maccabi Haifa won its first title since 2019. Payton Caffrey (Florida State) and Briana Holman (Nebraska) were honored as champions.
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