# 2016 Women's European Volleyball League

The 2016 Women's European Volleyball League was the eighth edition of the annual tournament. It was held from 3 June to 3 July 2016. The tournament featured 12 teams.
Azerbaijan won their first title after defeating Slovakia in the final.

## Pool composition

| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C |
| Albania | Azerbaijan | Greece |
| Belarus | France | Hungary |
| Poland | Montenegro | Romania |
| Slovakia | Spain | Slovenia |

## League round

* All times are local

### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Slovakia | 6 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 1.600 | 590 | 552 | 1.069 | Final Four |
| 2 | Poland | 6 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 1.077 | 599 | 614 | 0.976 | |
| 3 | Belarus | 6 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 0.867 | 614 | 597 | 1.028 | |
| 4 | Albania | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 0.688 | 574 | 614 | 0.935 | |

#### 1st tournament

Venue: Hala Sportowo - Widowiskowa, Twardogóra
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Jun | 17:00 | Poland | 3–1 | Albania | 21–25 | 25–16 | 27–25 | 27–25 | | 100–91 | Report |
| 3 Jun | 20:00 | Belarus | 1–3 | Slovakia | 19–25 | 26–24 | 22–25 | 24–26 | | 91–100 | Report |
| 4 Jun | 15:30 | Albania | 1–3 | Slovakia | 22–25 | 25–19 | 17–25 | 19–25 | | 83–94 | Report |
| 4 Jun | 18:30 | Poland | 3–2 | Belarus | 22–25 | 18–25 | 27–25 | 26–24 | 17–15 | 110–114 | Report |
| 5 Jun | 15:30 | Albania | 2–3 | Belarus | 25–17 | 25–22 | 11–25 | 23–25 | 10–15 | 94–104 | Report |
| 5 Jun | 18:30 | Slovakia | 3–2 | Poland | 25–22 | 25–18 | 24–26 | 19–25 | 15–8 | 108–99 | Report |

#### 2nd tournament

Venue: Pallati Sportit Ramazan Njala, Durrës
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 17 Jun | 15:00 | Slovakia | 3–2 | Belarus | 25–23 | 25–21 | 19–25 | 15–25 | 15–8 | 99–102 | Report |
| 17 Jun | 18:00 | Albania | 3–2 | Poland | 23–25 | 25–21 | 31–29 | 18–25 | 15–13 | 112–113 | Report |
| 18 Jun | 15:00 | Belarus | 3–1 | Poland | 25–23 | 25–22 | 22–25 | 25–18 | | 97–88 | Report |
| 18 Jun | 18:00 | Slovakia | 3–1 | Albania | 22–25 | 25–23 | 25–18 | 25–22 | | 97–88 | Report |
| 19 Jun | 15:00 | Poland | 3–1 | Slovakia | 25–21 | 26–24 | 13–25 | 25–22 | | 89–92 | Report |
| 19 Jun | 18:00 | Belarus | 2–3 | Albania | 25–22 | 22–25 | 25–17 | 25–27 | 9–15 | 106–106 | Report |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Azerbaijan | 6 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 2 | 9.000 | 488 | 374 | 1.305 | Final Four |
| 2 | Spain | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 0.714 | 477 | 540 | 0.883 | |
| 3 | France | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 0.625 | 526 | 547 | 0.962 | |
| 4 | Montenegro | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 0.571 | 457 | 487 | 0.938 | |

#### 1st tournament

Venue: Topolica Sport Hall, Bar
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Jun | 17:00 | Azerbaijan | 3–0 | France | 25–9 | 25–23 | 26–24 | | | 76–56 | Report |
| 3 Jun | 20:00 | Montenegro | 3–0 | Spain | 25–21 | 25–20 | 25–13 | | | 75–54 | Report |
| 4 Jun | 17:00 | France | 2–3 | Spain | 24–26 | 22–25 | 25–14 | 25–16 | 12–15 | 108–96 | Report |
| 4 Jun | 20:00 | Azerbaijan | 3–0 | Montenegro | 25–21 | 25–23 | 25–22 | | | 75–66 | Report |
| 5 Jun | 17:00 | Spain | 1–3 | Azerbaijan | 16–25 | 25–23 | 17–25 | 16–25 | | 74–98 | Report |
| 5 Jun | 20:00 | France | 2–3 | Montenegro | 19–25 | 25–20 | 25–21 | 17–25 | 9–15 | 95–106 | Report |

#### 2nd tournament

Venue: Salle Colette-Besson, Rennes
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 10 Jun | 15:00 | Montenegro | 0–3 | Azerbaijan | 12–25 | 21–25 | 19–25 | | | 52–75 | Report |
| 10 Jun | 18:00 | France | 3–2 | Spain | 25–23 | 18–25 | 22–25 | 25–17 | 15–11 | 105–101 | Report |
| 11 Jun | 16:00 | Azerbaijan | 3–1 | Spain | 25–14 | 25–19 | 14–25 | 25–17 | | 89–75 | Report |
| 11 Jun | 19:00 | Montenegro | 2–3 | France | 25–20 | 13–25 | 28–26 | 21–25 | 6–15 | 93–111 | Report |
| 12 Jun | 16:00 | Spain | 3–0 | Montenegro | 25–19 | 25–21 | 27–25 | | | 77–65 | Report |
| 12 Jun | 19:00 | Azerbaijan | 3–0 | France | 25–13 | 25–23 | 25–15 | | | 75–51 | Report |

### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Slovenia | 6 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 1 | 18.000 | 474 | 365 | 1.299 | Final Four |
| 2 | Greece | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 1.714 | 428 | 394 | 1.086 | Final Four |
| 3 | Romania | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 0.500 | 368 | 411 | 0.895 | |
| 4 | Hungary | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0.111 | 390 | 490 | 0.796 | |

#### 1st tournament

Venue: Bujtosi Szabadidő Csarnok, Nyíregyháza
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total | Report |
| 3 Jun | 16:00 | Greece | 3–0 | Romania | 25–21 | 25–15 | 25–19 | | 75–55 | Report |
| 3 Jun | 18:30 | Hungary | 0–3 | Slovenia | 21–25 | 17–25 | 24–26 | | 62–76 | Report |
| 4 Jun | 16:00 | Romania | 0–3 | Slovenia | 21–25 | 14–25 | 21–25 | | 56–75 | Report |
| 4 Jun | 18:30 | Greece | 3–1 | Hungary | 27–25 | 25–15 | 12–25 | 25–15 | 89–80 | Report |
| 5 Jun | 17:30 | Slovenia | 3–0 | Greece | 25–21 | 25–18 | 25–18 | | 75–57 | Report |
| 5 Jun | 20:00 | Romania | 3–0 | Hungary | 27–25 | 25–22 | 25–16 | | 77–63 | Report |

#### 2nd tournament

Venue: Indoor Sports Hall, Megalopolis
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total | Report |
| 9 Jun | 17:30 | Slovenia | 3–1 | Hungary | 25–18 | 25–19 | 23–25 | 25–23 | 98–85 | Report |
| 9 Jun | 20:30 | Greece | 3–0 | Romania | 25–17 | 25–20 | 25–20 | | 75–57 | Report |
| 10 Jun | 17:30 | Hungary | 0–3 | Romania | 17–25 | 16–25 | 15–25 | | 48–75 | Report |
| 10 Jun | 20:30 | Slovenia | 3–0 | Greece | 25–21 | 25–13 | 25–23 | | 75–57 | Report |
| 11 Jun | 18:00 | Romania | 0–3 | Slovenia | 17–25 | 18–25 | 13–25 | | 48–75 | Report |
| 11 Jun | 21:00 | Hungary | 0–3 | Greece | 14–25 | 17–25 | 21–25 | | 52–75 | Report |

## Final four

The top team of each pool will qualify for the final four. Pre-qualified tournament host team will complete the group.

### Bracket

* All times are local
| Semifinal | Semifinal | Semifinal | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| A1 | Slovakia | 3 | 3 | 5 | | | | | |
| C1 | Slovenia | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| C1 | Slovenia | 2 | 1 | 1 | A1 | Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | | | | | B1 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| B1 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 3 | 6 | B1 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| C2 | Greece | 1 | 1 | 0 | | | | | |

### Semifinal
#### Leg 1

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 22 Jun | 20:00 | Slovenia | 2–3 | Slovakia | 16–25 | 25–18 | 26–24 | 17–25 | 12–15 | 96–107 | Report |
| 25 Jun | 18:00 | Greece | 1–3 | Azerbaijan | 23–25 | 21–25 | 25–23 | 19–25 | | 88–98 | Report |

#### Leg 2

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 26 Jun | 15:00 | Slovakia | 3–1 | Slovenia | 25–18 | 22–25 | 25–13 | 25–15 | | 97–71 | Report |
| 26 Jun | 18:00 | Azerbaijan | 3–1 | Greece | 25–22 | 9–25 | 25–15 | 25–16 | | 84–78 | Report |

### Final

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 30 Jun | 18:00 | Slovakia | 1–3 | Azerbaijan | 19–25 | 25–18 | 22–25 | 20–25 | | 86–93 | Report |
| 3 Jul | 18:00 | Azerbaijan | 3–0 | Slovakia | 25–15 | 25–22 | 25–20 | | | 75–57 | Report |

## Final standings

| Rank | Team |
| | Azerbaijan |
| | Slovakia |
| | Slovenia |
| | Greece |
| 5 | Poland |
| 6 | Spain |
| 7 | Belarus |
| 7 | France |
| 7 | Romania |
| 10 | Albania |
| 10 | Montenegro |
| 10 | Hungary |
* 2016 Women's European League winners
* Azerbaijan
14–woman Roster :
* Aliyeva, Poznyak, Gurbanova, Bayramova, Pavlenko, Hasanova, Kulan, Zhidkova, Mammadova, Yagubova, Karimova, Kiselyova, Rahimova, Habibova
* Head coach
* Faig Garayev

## Awards

* MVP: Polina Rahimova