# 2015 Women's European Volleyball Championship

The 2015 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 29th edition of the European Volleyball Championship, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. It was hosted by Netherlands and Belgium from 26 September to 4 October 2015. The championship managers were the Dutch Olympic gold volleyball medalist Peter Blange and the former Belgian volleyball player Virginie De Carne. Russia defeated Netherlands 3–0 in the final to capture their 19th title, while Tatiana Kosheleva was elected most valuable player back to back.

## Qualification

| Team | Method of qualification |
| Azerbaijan | Qualification Third round play-off winners |
| Belarus | Qualification Third round play-off winners |
| Belgium | Hosts |
| Bulgaria | Qualification Second round group D winners |
| Croatia | 2013 edition fifth place |
| Czech Republic | Qualification Second round group C winners |
| Germany | 2013 edition second place |
| Hungary | Qualification Second round group E winners |
| Italy | 2013 edition sixth place |
| Netherlands | Hosts |
| Poland | Qualification Second round group B winners |
| Romania | Qualification Second round group F winners |
| Russia | 2013 edition first place |
| Serbia | 2013 edition fourth place |
| Slovenia | Qualification Third round play-off winners |
| Turkey | Qualification Second round group A winners |

## Format

The tournament was played in two different stages. In the first stage, the sixteen participants were divided in four groups of four teams each. A single round-robin format was played within each group to determine the teams group position (as per criteria below). The three best teams of each group (total of 12 teams) progressed to the second stage, with group winners advancing to the quarterfinals while second and third placed advanced to the playoffs.

### Pool standing criteria

* Number of matches won
* Result points (3 points for 3–0 or 3–1 win; 2 points for 3–2 win; 1 point for 2–3 loss)
* Sets ratio
* Points ratio
* Result of the last match between the tied teams
The second stage of the tournament consisted of a single-elimination, with winners advancing to the next round. A playoff was played (involving group second and third places) to determine which teams joined the group winners in the quarterfinals, followed by semifinals, 3rd place match and final.

## Pools composition

The drawing of lots was held in Antwerp, Belgium on 12 November 2014. First, the hosts and the team which was chosen by the hosts were seeded at the top of each pool. Then the next 4 teams which ranked highest in the previous edition were drawn. Finally, the other teams were drawn. Numbers in brackets denote the European ranking as of 25 September 2015.
| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D |
| Netherlands (7) | Belgium (8) | Russia (2) | Serbia (3) |
| Italy (1) | Turkey (4) | Croatia (9) | Germany (5) |
| Poland (6) | Hungary (18) | Bulgaria (10) | Romania (13) |
| Slovenia (25) | Azerbaijan (10) | Belarus (19) | Czech Republic (12) |

## Venues

| Pool A | Pool C | Championship round |
| Apeldoorn, Netherlands | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Omnisport Apeldoorn | Topsportcentrum Rotterdam | Rotterdam Ahoy |
| Capacity: 6,000 | Capacity: 2,500 | Capacity: 14,000 |
| Pool B and Championship round | ApeldoornRotterdamEindhovenAntwerpclass=notpageimage| Tournament host cities | Pool D |
| Antwerp, Belgium | ApeldoornRotterdamEindhovenAntwerpclass=notpageimage| Tournament host cities | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| Lotto Arena | ApeldoornRotterdamEindhovenAntwerpclass=notpageimage| Tournament host cities | Indoor-Sportcentrum Eindhoven |
| Capacity: 5,200 | ApeldoornRotterdamEindhovenAntwerpclass=notpageimage| Tournament host cities | Capacity: 4,000 |

## Preliminary round

All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00).

### Pool A

* venue: Omnisport, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Netherlands (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 9.000 | 244 | 172 | 1.419 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Italy | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 250 | 211 | 1.185 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Poland | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 0.833 | 222 | 248 | 0.895 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Slovenia | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0.111 | 164 | 249 | 0.659 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total | Report |
| 26 Sep | 15:30 | Slovenia | 0–3 | Netherlands | 12–25 | 14–25 | 22–25 | | 48–75 | Report |
| 26 Sep | 18:30 | Italy | 3–1 | Poland | 25–20 | 21–25 | 25–17 | 25–16 | 96–78 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 15:30 | Netherlands | 3–1 | Poland | 25–15 | 25–11 | 19–25 | 25–18 | 94–69 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 18:30 | Slovenia | 1–3 | Italy | 9–25 | 12–25 | 26–24 | 11–25 | 58–99 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 17:00 | Poland | 3–0 | Slovenia | 25–18 | 25–19 | 25–21 | | 75–58 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 20:00 | Netherlands | 3–0 | Italy | 25–15 | 25–18 | 25–22 | | 75–55 | Report |

### Pool B

* venue: Lotto Arena, Antwerp, Belgium
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Turkey | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | MAX | 228 | 165 | 1.382 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Belgium (H) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2.000 | 203 | 178 | 1.140 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Hungary | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0.429 | 196 | 232 | 0.845 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0.111 | 204 | 256 | 0.797 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total | Report |
| 26 Sep | 17:30 | Hungary | 0–3 | Belgium | 15–25 | 8–25 | 18–25 | | 41–75 | Report |
| 26 Sep | 20:30 | Turkey | 3–0 | Azerbaijan | 25–21 | 28–26 | 25–13 | | 78–60 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 16:00 | Belgium | 3–0 | Azerbaijan | 25–17 | 25–20 | 27–25 | | 77–62 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 19:00 | Hungary | 0–3 | Turkey | 20–25 | 20–25 | 14–25 | | 54–75 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 17:00 | Azerbaijan | 1–3 | Hungary | 16–25 | 28–26 | 22–25 | 16–25 | 82–101 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 20:00 | Belgium | 0–3 | Turkey | 18–25 | 17–25 | 16–25 | | 51–75 | Report |

### Pool C

* venue: Topsportcentrum, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Russia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2.000 | 221 | 177 | 1.249 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Belarus | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 230 | 241 | 0.954 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Croatia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 239 | 253 | 0.945 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Bulgaria | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 0.444 | 258 | 277 | 0.931 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 26 Sep | 15:00 | Bulgaria | 0–3 | Russia | 6–25 | 14–25 | 25–27 | | | 45–77 | Report |
| 26 Sep | 18:00 | Croatia | 0–3 | Belarus | 19–25 | 18–25 | 24–26 | | | 61–76 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 15:00 | Russia | 3–0 | Belarus | 25–18 | 25–16 | 25–21 | | | 75–55 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 18:00 | Bulgaria | 2–3 | Croatia | 23–25 | 25–22 | 25–14 | 22–25 | 13–15 | 108–101 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 17:00 | Belarus | 3–2 | Bulgaria | 25–21 | 25–23 | 14–25 | 20–25 | 15–11 | 99–105 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 20:00 | Russia | 0–3 | Croatia | 21–25 | 24–26 | 24–26 | | | 69–77 | Report |

### Pool D

* venue: Indoor-Sportcentrum, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Serbia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | MAX | 225 | 169 | 1.331 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Germany | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 1.500 | 233 | 206 | 1.131 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | 193 | 196 | 0.985 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Romania | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0.111 | 169 | 249 | 0.679 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total | Report |
| 26 Sep | 15:00 | Czech Republic | 3–0 | Romania | 25–13 | 25–18 | 25–15 | | 75–46 | Report |
| 26 Sep | 18:00 | Serbia | 3–0 | Germany | 25–18 | 25–22 | 25–19 | | 75–59 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 15:00 | Romania | 1–3 | Germany | 14–25 | 26–24 | 15–25 | 19–25 | 74–99 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 18:00 | Czech Republic | 0–3 | Serbia | 20–25 | 23–25 | 18–25 | | 61–75 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 17:00 | Germany | 3–0 | Czech Republic | 25–17 | 25–23 | 25–17 | | 75–57 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 20:00 | Romania | 0–3 | Serbia | 20–25 | 14–25 | 15–25 | | 49–75 | Report |

## Championship round

All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00).
* venues:
    Lotto Arena, Antwerp, Belgium
    Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| Playoffs 30 September | Playoffs 30 September | Playoffs 30 September | Quarterfinals 1 October | Quarterfinals 1 October | Quarterfinals 1 October | Semifinals 3 October | Semifinals 3 October | Semifinals 3 October | Final 4 October | Final 4 October | Final 4 October |
| | | | Netherlands | Netherlands | 3 | | | | | | |
| Belarus | Belarus | 2 | Poland | Poland | 1 | | | | | | |
| Poland | Poland | 3 | | | | Netherlands | Netherlands | 3 | | | |
| | | | | | | Turkey | Turkey | 0 | | | |
| | | | Turkey | Turkey | 3 | | | | | | |
| Germany | Germany | 3 | Germany | Germany | 2 | | | | | | |
| Hungary | Hungary | 0 | | | | | | | Netherlands | Netherlands | 0 |
| | | | | | | | | | Russia | Russia | 3 |
| | | | Russia | Russia | 3 | | | |
| Italy | Italy | 3 | Italy | Italy | 1 | | | |
| Croatia | Croatia | 0 | | | | Russia | Russia | 3 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | | | | Serbia | Serbia | 1 |
| | | | Serbia | Serbia | 3 | | | | Turkey | Turkey | 0 |
| Belgium | Belgium | 3 | Belgium | Belgium | 1 | | | | Serbia | Serbia | 3 |
| Czech Republic | Czech Republic | 1 | | | | | | | | | |

### Playoffs

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 30 Sep | 17:00 | Italy | 3–0 | Croatia | 25–22 | 25–21 | 25–20 | | | 75–63 | Report |
| 30 Sep | 17:30 | Germany | 3–0 | Hungary | 25–18 | 25–17 | 25–14 | | | 75–49 | Report |
| 30 Sep | 20:00 | Belarus | 2–3 | Poland | 17–25 | 13–25 | 25–22 | 25–20 | 12–15 | 92–107 | Report |
| 30 Sep | 20:30 | Belgium | 3–1 | Czech Republic | 25–12 | 23–25 | 25–21 | 25–9 | | 98–67 | Report |

### Quarterfinals

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 1 Oct | 17:00 | Russia | 3–1 | Italy | 30–28 | 20–25 | 25–23 | 25–20 | | 100–96 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 17:30 | Turkey | 3–2 | Germany | 25–20 | 21–25 | 20–25 | 25–23 | 15–12 | 106–105 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 20:00 | Netherlands | 3–1 | Poland | 25–16 | 23–25 | 25–16 | 25–16 | | 98–73 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 20:30 | Serbia | 3–1 | Belgium | 19–25 | 29–27 | 25–11 | 25–18 | | 98–81 | Report |

### Semifinals

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Oct | 15:30 | Netherlands | 3–0 | Turkey | 25–22 | 25–18 | 28–26 | | | 78–66 | Report |
| 3 Oct | 18:30 | Russia | 3–1 | Serbia | 25–23 | 25–23 | 21–25 | 25–22 | | 96–93 | Report |

### Bronze medal match

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 4 Oct | 14:00 | Turkey | 0–3 | Serbia | 19–25 | 17–25 | 18–25 | | | 54–75 | Report |

### Final

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 4 Oct | 17:00 | Netherlands | 0–3 | Russia | 14–25 | 20–25 | 20–25 | | | 54–75 | Report |

## Final standing

| Rank | Team |
| | Russia |
| | Netherlands |
| | Serbia |
| 4 | Turkey |
| 5 | Germany |
| 6 | Belgium |
| 7 | Italy |
| 8 | Poland |
| 9 | Belarus |
| 10 | Croatia |
| 11 | Czech Republic |
| 12 | Hungary |
| 13 | Bulgaria |
| 14 | Azerbaijan |
| 15 | Romania |
| 16 | Slovenia |
* 2015 Women's European Championship
* Russia 19th title
* 14–woman roster
* Nataliya Obmochaeva, Tatiana Kosheleva, Yana Shcherban, Aleksandra Pasynkova, Anna Malova, Victoria Kuzyakina, Evgeniya Startseva, Ekaterina Kosianenko, Ekaterina Lyubushkina, Ekaterina Orlova, Irina Fetisova, Irina Zaryazhko, Natalia Malykh, Kseniia Ilchenko
* Head coach
* Yuri Marichev