VOLLEYBALL LOTTO VOLLEY LEAGUE WAREMME – LINDEMANS AALST 2-3
© Gregory Van Gansen
Not three but two points, with which Lindemans Aalst returned from Waremme. The Onions realize that the road to the top six is still long.
Lindemans Aalst never looks forward to an away match at Waremme. The people of Liège are always a tough opponent at home. Waremme has already won twice this season and hopes to finally be able to play the play-offs after years of basement volleyball.
It was also a reunion with Seppe Baetens, who exchanged Aalst for Waremme in the off-season. However, Baetens was never able to excel against his former team and after Aalst won the first set (22-25), the corner player was brought to the side by the home coach.
Aalst needs the points and seemed to be on its way to a set win again in the second set at 20-22. “Unfortunately we couldn’t finish it,” said coach Christophe Achten. “Waremme balanced the boards and in the third set we also had to suffer the fate of the then strongest (25-18). Pierre Perin, who came in, especially impressed the home team by scoring an 8 out of 8.”
Aalst seemed off track for a while, but was able to recover in the fourth set.
Achten: “Our main attacker Robin Overbeeke did not have a happy day, so I had to throw in Alvaro Gimeno sooner than expected. After his ankle injury, our Spaniard had not yet trained much, but he made a strong appearance and was part of the basis for the 2-2.”
Corner player Robbe Van de Velde also did more than his share with 27 points. In the decisive tiebreak, Aalst was able to easily distance itself from the battle-weary home team after 5-9.
“We are happy with the two points, but of course we would have preferred three,” said Christophe Achten. “It certainly wasn’t an easy match. Gimeno had not yet fully recovered from his ankle injury, but we still needed him to make the difference. We also still only play with two middle men. The lack of substitution options in that position is also starting to weigh.”
“The road to the top six and the play-offs is still long. But we do not despair. When I took over the club at the beginning of December last year, we only had six points and we still made it to the play-offs. On Saturday we will receive the team in form Leuven. I consider that team as a direct competitor for a place in the top six. We will of course do everything we can to keep the three points at home.”