# 2017–18 CEV Women's Challenge Cup

The 2017–18 CEV Women's Challenge Cup was the 38th edition of the European Challenge Cup volleyball club tournament, the former "CEV Cup".

## Format

The tournament is played on a knockout format, with 37 teams participating. Initially 10 teams play a qualification round with the 5 winners advancing to the main phase. On 14 June 2017, a drawing of lots in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, determined the team's pairing for each match. Each team plays a home and an away match with result points awarded for each leg (3 points for 3–0 or 3–1 wins, 2 points for 3–2 win, 1 point for 2–3 loss). After two legs, the team with the most result points advances to the next round. In case the teams are tied after two legs, a Golden Set is played immediately at the completion of the second leg. The Golden Set winner is the team that first obtains 15 points, provided that the points difference between the two teams is at least 2 points (thus, the Golden Set is similar to a tiebreak set in a normal match).

## Participating teams

* Drawing of lots for the 37 participating team was held in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg on 14 June 2017.
* Serbian team Železničar Lajkovac qualified as 2017 BVA Cup winner.
| Rank | Country | No. teams | No. teams | No. teams | Qualified teams |
| Rank | Country | Vac | Qual | Total | Qualified teams |
| 1 | Turkey | 1 | - | 1 | Bursa BBSK |
| 2 | Russia | 1 | - | 1 | Dinamo Krasnodar |
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 1 | - | 1 | Azerrail Baku |
| 6 | Switzerland | 2 | - | 2 | Viteos Neuchâtel Université |
| 6 | Switzerland | 2 | - | 2 | Sm'Aesch Pfeffingen |
| 8 | France | 1 | - | 1 | Nantes VB |
| 9 | Romania | 2 | - | 2 | CSM Târgoviște |
| 9 | Romania | 2 | - | 2 | Ştiinţa Bacău |
| 10 | Czech Republic | 1 | - | 1 | TJ Ostrava |
| 11 | Serbia | 1 | 1 | 2 | Tent Obrenovac |
| 11 | Serbia | 1 | 1 | 2 | Železničar Lajkovac |
| 12 | Belgium | 1 | 2 | 3 | Hermes Oostende |
| 12 | Belgium | 1 | 2 | 3 | Amigos-Van Pelt Zoersel |
| 12 | Belgium | 1 | 2 | 3 | Sharks Charleroi |
| 13 | Finland | 1 | 1 | 2 | OrPo Orivesi |
| 13 | Finland | 1 | 1 | 2 | Pölkky Kuusamo |
| 16 | Greece | 1 | - | 1 | Olympiacos Piraeus |
| 19 | Hungary | 1 | - | 1 | Vasas Óbuda Budapest |
| 21 | Austria | 1 | 2 | 3 | Askö Linz-Steg |
| 21 | Austria | 1 | 2 | 3 | UVC Holding Graz |
| 21 | Austria | 1 | 2 | 3 | VB NÖ Sokol Schwechat |
| 22 | Croatia | 1 | 1 | 2 | Mladost Zagreb |
| 22 | Croatia | 1 | 1 | 2 | ŽOK Osijek |
| 23 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | - | 1 | ŽOK Gacko |
| 24 | Spain | 1 | 2 | 3 | CV Barcelona |
| 24 | Spain | 1 | 2 | 3 | CV Logroño |
| 24 | Spain | 1 | 2 | 3 | Ibsa CV Las Palmas |
| 25 | Norway | 1 | - | 1 | Randaberg IL |
| 27 | Luxembourg | 1 | - | 1 | RSR Walfer |
| 28 | Bulgaria | 1 | - | 1 | Levski Sofia |
| 29 | Slovakia | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1. BVK Bratislava |
| 29 | Slovakia | 1 | 1 | 2 | Slávia EU Bratislava |
| 30 | Kosovo | 1 | - | 1 | KV Kastrioti Ferizaji |
| 31 | Portugal | 1 | 1 | 2 | CK Ponta Delgada |
| 31 | Portugal | 1 | 1 | 2 | AVC Famalicão |
| 36 | Denmark | 1 | - | 1 | Holte IF |
| 47 | Liechtenstein | 1 | - | 1 | VBC Galina Schaan |
    1.^ Team entering at Qualification round.

## Qualification round

* 1st leg (Team #1 home) 21–23 November 2017
* 2nd leg (Team #2 home) 28–30 November 2017
| Match# | Team #1 | Results | Team #2 |
| 1 | Slávia EU Bratislava | 1 – 3 0 – 3 | UVC Holding Graz |
| 2 | ŽOK Osijek | 2 – 3 3 – 2 Golden Set: 16–14 | VB NÖ Sokol Schwechat |
| 3 | Pölkky Kuusamo | 1 – 3 0 – 3 | Sharks Charleroi |
| 4 | AVC Famalicão | 0 – 3 0 – 3 | CV Logroño |
| 5 | Ibsa CV Las Palmas | 3 – 2 3 – 1 | Amigos-Van Pelt Zoersel |

## Main phase
### 16th Finals

* 1st leg (Team #1 home) 12–14 December 2017
* 2nd leg (Team #2 home) 9–11 January 2018
| Match# | Team #1 | Results | Team #2 |
| 6 | RSR Walfer | 0 – 3 0 – 3 | Bursa BBSK |
| 7 | Sharks Charleroi | 3 – 0 3 – 2 | CV Barcelona |
| 8 | CK Ponta Delgada | 1 – 3 2 – 3 | Hermes Oostende |
| 9 | Železničar Lajkovac | 3 – 1 0 – 3 Golden Set: 13–15 | Tent Obrenovac |
| 10 | Randaberg IL | 0 – 3 0 – 3 | Nantes VB |
| 11 | VBC Galina Schaan | 1 – 3 2 – 3 | Vasas Óbuda Budapest |
| 12 | Ibsa CV Las Palmas | 3 – 1 3 – 2 | Askö Linz-Steg |
| 13 | Holte IF | 0 – 3 1 – 3 | Viteos Neuchâtel Université |
| 14 | Ştiinţa Bacău | 3 – 1 0 – 3 Golden Set: 15–13 | Azerrail Baku |
| 15 | Sm'Aesch Pfeffingen | 1 – 3 3 – 0 Golden Set: 15–10 | Mladost Zagreb |
| 16 | CV Logroño | 2 – 3 0 – 3 | Olympiacos Piraeus |
| 17 | Levski Sofia | 1 – 3 0 – 3 | CSM Târgoviște |
| 18 | ŽOK Osijek | 0 – 3 0 – 3 | TJ Ostrava |
| 19 | KV Kastrioti Ferizaji | 0 – 3 0 – 3 | OrPo Orivesi |
| 20 | 1. BVK Bratislava | 3 – 0 3 – 0 | ŽOK Gacko |
| 21 | UVC Holding Graz | 2 – 3 0 – 3 | Dinamo Krasnodar |

### 8th Finals

* 1st leg (Team #1 home) 23–25 January 2018
* 2nd leg (Team #2 home) 6–8 February 2018
| Match# | Team #1 | Results | Team #2 |
| 22 | Sharks Charleroi | 0 – 3 0 – 3 | Bursa BBSK |
| 23 | Hermes Oostende | 3 – 0 0 – 3 Golden Set: 15–13 | Tent Obrenovac |
| 24 | Vasas Óbuda Budapest | 2 – 3 0 – 3 | Nantes VB |
| 25 | Ibsa CV Las Palmas | 3 – 0 1 – 3 Golden Set: 10–15 | Viteos Neuchâtel Université |
| 26 | Sm'Aesch Pfeffingen | 2 – 3 3 – 1 | Ştiinţa Bacău |
| 27 | Olympiacos Piraeus | 2 – 3 3 – 1 | CSM Târgoviște |
| 28 | OrPo Orivesi | 0 – 3 1 – 3 | TJ Ostrava |
| 29 | Dinamo Krasnodar | 3 – 0 3 – 1 | 1. BVK Bratislava |

### 4th Finals

* 1st leg (Team #1 home) 20–22 February 2018
* 2nd leg (Team #2 home) 27 February – 1 March 2018
| Match# | Team #1 | Results | Team #2 |
| 30 | Hermes Oostende | 0 – 3 0 – 3 | Bursa BBSK |
| 31 | Viteos Neuchâtel Université | 0 – 3 1 – 3 | Nantes VB |
| 32 | Sm'Aesch Pfeffingen | 1 – 3 0 – 3 | Olympiacos Piraeus |
| 33 | TJ Ostrava | 1 – 3 2 – 3 | Dinamo Krasnodar |

## Final phase
### Semifinals

* 1st leg (Team #1 home) 14 March 2018
* 2nd leg (Team #2 home) 21 March 2018
| Match# | Team #1 | Results | Team #2 |
| 34 | Bursa BBSK | 3 – 0 3 – 0 | Nantes VB |
| 35 | Olympiacos Piraeus | 3 – 2 3 – 0 | Dinamo Krasnodar |

### Finals

* 1st leg (Team #1 home) 4 April 2018
* 2nd leg (Team #2 home) 11 April 2018
| Match# | Team #1 | Results | Team #2 |
| 36 | Olympiacos Piraeus | 2 – 3 3 – 1 | Bursa BBSK |

## Final standing

| Rank | Team |
| | Olympiacos Piraeus |
| | Bursa BBSK |
| Semifinalists | Nantes VB |
| Semifinalists | Dinamo Krasnodar |
* 2017–18 CEV Women's Challenge Cup Champions
* Olympiacos Piraeus 1st title

## Awards

| Award | Winner | Team |
| MVP | Stella Christodoulou | Olympiacos Piraeus |