Potsdam’s Volleyball Players Must Quickly Recover from Cup Defeat

It might seem like some sort of enchantment, but SC Potsdam, the well-known volleyball club, has already made it to the cup final on three separate occasions. Each time, however, they have come up short of securing the ultimate victory. The most recent instance was on Sunday when they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat against MTV Stuttgart. The Potsdam team left the pitch, their spirits visibly dampened. Despite this loss, it was evident that the team did not lack in terms of physical exertion and an innate drive to win.

Even Antonia Stautz, the team’s outside attacker, who had spent the morning in the hospital due to an earache, and had initially withdrawn from the game, managed to participate in the second set. Unfortunately, her contribution wasn’t enough to turn the tide. The Potsdam women were outclassed in every aspect of the game. Despite having won the Supercup in 2022, their quest for the first major title in the club’s history continues to elude them.

Impact of the fine on the intermediate round

The victory in the cup could have served as a silver lining amidst the numerous challenges the team has faced this season. The club has been grappling with accusations of tax evasion, significant financial difficulties, and an overhaul of the entire squad at the beginning of the season. It was uncertain whether Potsdam would be able to maintain their position at the top with these issues at hand.

Further exacerbating their predicament, the club was slapped with a fine and a deduction of six points by the league in February. This setback has significantly affected the intermediate round, a pivotal stage that determines the starting positions in the play-offs. After losing to Stuttgart and subsequently securing a tiebreak win against Schwerin, the Potsdam women find themselves in fourth place with a total of five points. They are unlikely to close the gap with Dresden, who currently lead with eleven points.

Antonia Stautz, expressing her disappointment, said, “The cup was the highlight of the year. That’s what we’ve been training for. It’s very bitter to lose so clearly”. However, She and her team must bounce back swiftly as they are set to face VfB Suhl on the upcoming Saturday. Head coach Riccardo Boieri, who has been present for all three unsuccessful cup final attempts, remained optimistic about the future, saying: “Let’s see if there is a fourth and fifth cup final.”

Coach Boieri doesn’t believe that Potsdam’s repeated appearances in the competition can be considered magical. He said: “Potsdam is a super young club and still always makes it into the top four. That’s our goal this year too.”