News Beach volleyball 19/07/2014 Holtwick & Semmler Seek Validation The Hague, The Netherlands, July 19, 2014 - Forthe second-straight week, Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler will be playing fora FIVB World Tour gold medal as the Germans scored a three-set win over sixth-seededMaria Antonelli and Juliana Felisberta here Saturday in the first of two women’ssemi-finals at the US$1-million Transavia Grand Slam presented by Bas Van deGoor Foundation. By winning the 62-minute match by a 2-1 (21-18,16-21 and 17-15) score, the eighth-seeded Holtwick and Semmler will be seekingto validate their FIVB World Tour gold medal performance last week inSwitzerland where they defeated compatriots Karla Borger and Britta Buthe inthe first-ever All-German women’s finale since the start of the internationalcircuit in 1992. The Germans will be challenged by 11th-seededFernanda Alves and Taiana Lima of Brazil for the Transavia Grand Slam gold medalwhere the winning team will share the $70,000 first-place prize. In addition, Lima will be seeking hersecond-straight gold medal placement on The Hague Beach Stadium center court asshe won the 2013 title with Talita Rocha as the pair finished last year as theFIVB World Tour’s top team. As a “prelude” to the 2015 FIVB BeachVolleyball World Championships, the Transavia Grand Slam will also feature thewomen’s bronze medal match Sunday along with the men’s podium placementcontests where teams from Brazil, Poland and the United States have reached themedal rounds. Holtwick and Semmler are following a samestory-line as last week as the Germans only won one of three pool play matchesthis week to advance as the third-place team from their group and were forcedto win three-straight elimination matches to reach the semi-finals where they defeatedAntonelli and Juliana to reach the Gstaad finale. "We were always two or three pointsbehind in the first set” said Semmler, “but we were able to change the tempoand were able to win the first set. Inthe third set we were also three points behind, but we again changed the tempoin the set. The Brazilian’s service gameand defense was very good, but the important thing was that we won the match.” With the Germans bidding to become the first tandemfrom their country to win back-to-back FIVB World Tour gold medals, Holtwicksaid her team “won surprisingly the Grand Slam in Gstaad. So we knew we had the chance to go to thefinals again this week. We're both in agood shape and that really helps. Thisis a very exciting time for our partnership that we have been able to reachtwo-straight gold medal matches." After helping her team to a 2-0 (21-14 and21-11) win in 34 minutes over third-seeded Kristyna Kolocova and MarketaSlukova of the Czech Republic, the 29-year old Fernanda is assured of her firstinternational medal in only her sixth FIVB World Tour event. A former indoor player in Brazil, Fernanda firstappeared on the FIVB circuit by playing three events last season with ElizaMaia as the pair posted a fifth at an “open” stop in Anapa, Russia. "It's wasn't easy, it is a very hardtournament,” said the 30-year old Lima. “Everybodyis so strong. In our first tournament inGstaad last week, we didn't come through the second round. We are a much stronger team now.” Fernanda said “we did a great job, but it'salways difficult. We did it in two sets,but it wasn't easy. Our relationship isvery good and we gained a lot of confidence with each elimination win to reachthe semi-finals. We get more confidentwhen we're doing a good job together. We'regetting better and better, day after day. We desire to get better, step by step. But the steps are going very fast, so that is good!" To earn a spot in the “money” rounds of the10th women’s event on the 2014 FIVB World Tour calendar, Fernanda and Lima hadto play a qualifying match Tuesday where the Brazilians rallied from afirst-set defeat and a 16-12 disadvantage in the second set to defeat theNystrom twins (Emilia and Erika) of Finland 2-1 (27-29, 21-18 and 15-13) in a58-minute qualifying match Tuesday. Through the first 10 women’s events on the2014 FIVB World Tour calendar, five women’s teams have now made the semi-finalsafter progressing to the main draw via the qualifying tournament. Fernanda and Lima become the third of thosepairs to reach the title match as Antonelli and Juliana did it twice thisseason in China (Fuzhou) and Germany (Berlin). Following this week’s event, the FIVB WorldTour returns to the United States for the second-straight year as Long Beach insouthern California hosts another $1-million event. The international circuit returns to Europein August for stops in Austria (Klagenfurt, July 29-August 3) and Poland (StareJablonki, August 19-24).Post-match semi-final quotesIlka Semmler, Germany - "We were always two or three point behind. But we were able to change the set. That was want won the first set. In the third set we were also three points behind, but we changed the set. Last week we won surprisingly the Grand Slam in Gstaad. So we knew we had the chance to go to the final."Katrin Holtwick, Germany - “Their serve and defense was very well. But the important thing is we won the match. We're in good shape."Maria Antonelli, Brazil - “They made one point more, and that's a world of a difference. Congratulations for them. Next time that point will go to us. It was a tough match and we want to win a lot. In our last time-out we said to each other: concentrate, concentrate to play good. Because this is our first world tour together seas together, I'm very happy with Juliana, I'm very happy with my new team and I'm learning a lot, more concentrated. You never finish to learn. My coach is the best. We didn't win already, because it's not our time. And we had to learn more to win the game and the tournament. We've had three second places. We need to learn more. Our time is coming."Kristyna Kolocova, Czech Republic - "We didn't play very well. Everything we wanted to do, it didn't happen. In the beginning they scored four aces. It was 6-1, I think. It is difficult to come back. For now I'm not happy, but I'm glad we made it to the semifinal. It's a nice tournament with a nice venue."Kolocova also added a comment about the airplane crash in Ukraine. "It was a disaster what happened with the airplane. We played with a black strip out of respect for the victims."Taiana Lima, Brazil - "It's wasn't easy, it is a very hard tournament. Everybody is so strong. In Gstaad we didn't come through the second round, but now we're much stronger."Fernanda Alves, Brazil - "I think we did a great job, but it's always difficult. We did it in two sets, but it wasn't easy. Our relationship is very good, our confidence came in the quarterfinal. We get more confident when we're doing a good job together. We're getting better and better, day after day. We desire to get better, step by step. But the steps are going very fast, so that good (ha-ha)!" Print this Page News {{item.LocalShortDate}} {{item.Title}} All the News