# 1997 Women's European Volleyball Championship

The 1997 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 20th edition of the event, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. It was hosted in Brno and Zlín, Czech Republic from 27 September to 5 October 1997.

## Participating teams

| Team | Method of qualification |
| Belarus | Qualification group D winners |
| Bulgaria | Qualification group A winners |
| Croatia | 1995 edition second place |
| Czech Republic | Hosts |
| Germany | 1995 edition fourth place |
| Italy | Qualification group B winners |
| Latvia | Qualification promotion round |
| Netherlands | 1995 edition first place |
| Poland | Qualification group E winners |
| Romania | Qualification promotion round |
| Russia | 1995 edition third place |
| Ukraine | Qualification group C winners |

## Format

The tournament was played in two different stages. In the first stage, the twelve participants were divided in two groups of six teams each. A single round-robin format was played within each group to determine the teams' group position. The second stage of the tournament consisted of two sets of semifinals to determine the tournament final ranking. The group stage firsts and seconds played the semifinals for 1st to 4th place, group stage thirds and fourths played the 5th to 8th place semifinals and the remaining four teams which finished group stages as fifth and sixth ended all tied in final ranking at 9th place. The pairing of the semifinals was made so teams played against the opposite group teams which finished in a different position (1st played against 2nd, 3rd played against 4th).

## Pools composition

| Pool A | Pool B |
| Belarus | Croatia |
| Bulgaria | Czech Republic |
| Latvia | Germany |
| Netherlands | Italy |
| Poland | Romania |
| Russia | Ukraine |

## Venues

| Pool A | Pool B and Final round | ZlínBrnoclass=notpageimage| Tournament host cities |
| Zlín | Brno | ZlínBrnoclass=notpageimage| Tournament host cities |

## Preliminary round

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

### Pool A

* venue location: Zlín, Czech Republic
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Russia | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 7.500 | 237 | 110 | 2.155 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Bulgaria | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 1.833 | 202 | 163 | 1.239 | Semifinals |
| 3 | Poland | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 1.429 | 200 | 185 | 1.081 | 5th–8th place |
| 4 | Latvia | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 0.545 | 174 | 229 | 0.760 | 5th–8th place |
| 5 | Netherlands | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 0.500 | 192 | 235 | 0.817 | |
| 6 | Belarus | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 0.286 | 174 | 257 | 0.677 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 27 Sep | 14:30 | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Netherlands | 15–5 | 15–9 | 15–10 | | | 45–24 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 17:00 | Poland | 3–0 | Latvia | 15–7 | 15–9 | 15–10 | | | 45–26 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 20:00 | Belarus | 1–3 | Russia | 11–15 | 3–15 | 15–9 | 4–15 | | 33–54 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 14:30 | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Poland | 15–7 | 15–8 | 15–5 | | | 45–20 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 17:00 | Latvia | 3–0 | Belarus | 15–12 | 16–14 | 15–8 | | | 46–34 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 20:00 | Netherlands | 0–3 | Russia | 11–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | | | 21–45 | Report |
| 29 Sep | 14:30 | Belarus | 3–2 | Bulgaria | 15–13 | 3–15 | 15–13 | 9–15 | 15–11 | 57–67 | Report |
| 29 Sep | 17:00 | Russia | 3–0 | Latvia | 15–2 | 15–5 | 15–8 | | | 45–15 | Report |
| 29 Sep | 20:00 | Poland | 3–1 | Netherlands | 15–10 | 4–15 | 15–13 | 15–4 | | 49–42 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 14:30 | Bulgaria | 0–3 | Russia | 3–15 | 10–15 | 12–15 | | | 25–45 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 17:00 | Poland | 3–0 | Belarus | 15–5 | 15–7 | 15–12 | | | 45–24 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 20:00 | Netherlands | 2–3 | Latvia | 15–12 | 15–13 | 7–15 | 10–15 | 13–15 | 60–70 | Report |
| 2 Oct | 14:30 | Russia | 3–1 | Poland | 15–6 | 15–13 | 3–15 | 15–7 | | 48–41 | Report |
| 2 Oct | 17:00 | Belarus | 0–3 | Netherlands | 4–15 | 12–15 | 10–15 | | | 26–45 | Report |
| 2 Oct | 20:00 | Latvia | 0–3 | Bulgaria | 2–15 | 9–15 | 6–15 | | | 17–45 | Report |

### Pool B

* venue location: Brno, Czech Republic
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Croatia | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 15.000 | 240 | 139 | 1.727 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Czech Republic | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 1.667 | 208 | 174 | 1.195 | Semifinals |
| 3 | Italy | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 1.429 | 221 | 209 | 1.057 | 5th–8th place |
| 4 | Ukraine | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0.600 | 187 | 221 | 0.846 | 5th–8th place |
| 5 | Germany | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 0.333 | 174 | 227 | 0.767 | |
| 6 | Romania | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 0.250 | 156 | 216 | 0.722 | |
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total | Report |
| 27 Sep | 14:30 | Italy | 3–0 | Ukraine | 15–12 | 15–9 | 15–11 | | 45–32 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 17:00 | Czech Republic | 3–0 | Romania | 15–11 | 15–7 | 15–8 | | 45–26 | Report |
| 27 Sep | 20:00 | Germany | 0–3 | Croatia | 7–15 | 2–15 | 9–15 | | 18–45 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 14:30 | Ukraine | 3–0 | Romania | 15–11 | 15–10 | 15–13 | | 45–34 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 17:00 | Croatia | 3–0 | Czech Republic | 15–4 | 15–9 | 15–8 | | 45–21 | Report |
| 28 Sep | 20:00 | Italy | 3–1 | Germany | 15–10 | 14–16 | 16–14 | 15–10 | 60–50 | Report |
| 29 Sep | 14:30 | Romania | 0–3 | Croatia | 7–15 | 6–15 | 13–15 | | 26–45 | Report |
| 29 Sep | 17:00 | Czech Republic | 3–0 | Italy | 15–9 | 15–5 | 15–7 | | 45–21 | Report |
| 29 Sep | 20:00 | Germany | 3–0 | Ukraine | 15–7 | 15–9 | 15–13 | | 45–29 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 14:30 | Italy | 3–0 | Romania | 15–5 | 15–10 | 15–7 | | 45–22 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 17:00 | Germany | 0–3 | Czech Republic | 10–15 | 12–15 | 3–15 | | 25–45 | Report |
| 1 Oct | 20:00 | Ukraine | 0–3 | Croatia | 7–15 | 11–15 | 6–15 | | 24–45 | Report |
| 2 Oct | 14:30 | Romania | 3–0 | Germany | 17–15 | 16–14 | 15–7 | | 48–36 | Report |
| 2 Oct | 17:00 | Croatia | 3–1 | Italy | 16–14 | 14–16 | 15–13 | 15–7 | 60–50 | Report |
| 2 Oct | 20:00 | Czech Republic | 1–3 | Ukraine | 15–11 | 14–16 | 11–15 | 12–15 | 52–57 | Report |

## Final round

* venue location: Brno, Czech Republic
* All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00).

### 5th–8th place

* Pools A and B third and fourth positions play each other.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | 5th place | 5th place |
| 4 Oct | 4 Oct |
| Poland | 3 |
| Poland | 3 | 5 Oct | 5 Oct |
| Ukraine | 0 | 5 Oct | 5 Oct |
| Ukraine | 0 | Poland | 0 |
| 4 Oct | 4 Oct | | Poland | 0 |
| 4 Oct | 4 Oct | Italy | 3 |
| Latvia | 0 | Italy | 3 |
| Italy | 3 | | |
| Italy | 3 | 7th place | 7th place |
| | | 5 Oct | 5 Oct |
| | | Ukraine | 3 |
| | | Latvia | 1 |

#### 5th–8th semifinals

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 4 Oct | 10:30 | Poland | 3–0 | Ukraine | 15–8 | 15–10 | 15–13 | | | 45–31 | Report |
| 4 Oct | 14:30 | Latvia | 0–3 | Italy | 9–15 | 4–15 | 12–15 | | | 25–45 | Report |

#### 7th place match

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 5 Oct | 10:00 | Ukraine | 3–1 | Latvia | 13–15 | 15–5 | 15–9 | 15–7 | | 58–36 | Report |

#### 5th place match

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 5 Oct | 12:30 | Poland | 0–3 | Italy | 13–15 | 9–15 | 10–15 | | | 32–45 | Report |

### Final

* Pools A and B first and second positions play each other.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 4 Oct | 4 Oct |
| Russia | 3 |
| Russia | 3 | 5 Oct | 5 Oct |
| Czech Republic | 0 | 5 Oct | 5 Oct |
| Czech Republic | 0 | Russia | 3 |
| 4 Oct | 4 Oct | | Russia | 3 |
| 4 Oct | 4 Oct | Croatia | 0 |
| Bulgaria | 1 | Croatia | 0 |
| Croatia | 3 | | |
| Croatia | 3 | 3rd place | 3rd place |
| | | 5 Oct | 5 Oct |
| | | Czech Republic | 3 |
| | | Bulgaria | 0 |

#### Semifinals

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 4 Oct | 17:00 | Russia | 3–0 | Czech Republic | 15–4 | 15–2 | 15–1 | | | 45–7 | Report |
| 4 Oct | 20:00 | Bulgaria | 1–3 | Croatia | 2–15 | 15–10 | 12–15 | 12–15 | | 41–55 | Report |

#### 3rd place match

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 5 Oct | 15:00 | Bulgaria | 0–3 | Czech Republic | 13–15 | 10–15 | 7–15 | | | 30–45 | Report |

#### Final

| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 5 Oct | 18:00 | Russia | 3–0 | Croatia | 15–7 | 15–12 | 15–9 | | | 45–28 | Report |

## Final ranking

| Place | Team |
| | Russia |
| | Croatia |
| | Czech Republic |
| 4. | Bulgaria |
| 5. | Italy |
| 6. | Poland |
| 7. | Ukraine |
| 8. | Latvia |
| 9. | Netherlands |
| 9. | Germany |
| 9. | Belarus |
| 9. | Romania |
* 1997 Women's European champions
* Russia 15th title
Team Roster :
* Evgenya Artamonova, Elena Batoukhtina, Anastasia Belikova, Elena Godina, Tatyana Gracheva, Tatyana Menchova, Natalya Morozova, Natalia Safronova, Olga Tchoukanova, Irina Tebenikhina, Elizaveta Tichtchenko and Elena Vassilevskaya. Head coach: Nikolay Karpol.

## Individual awards

* Most valuable player: Barbara Jelić (CRO)
* Best spiker: Evgenya Artamonova (RUS)
* Best blocker: Michaela Večerková (CZE)
* Best setter: Irina Kirillova (CRO)