The Romanian women's national team secured a medal at the European Team Championship in Croatia

Romania passed the quarter-finals of the European Team Championship without complications, winning in a minimum of games against Slovakia.

Bernadette Szőcs, Elizabeta Samara and Andreea Dragoman brought the three points needed to qualify for the semi-finals.

For the first time at this edition of the European Championship, Bernadette Szocs was the one who opened the meeting with Slovakia.

He didn't stay at the table too long because he won in a minimum of sets. Berni only allowed Emei Labosova three points in the first set, winning 11-3.

In the following sets, the Slovak managed to return some balls to her, but the Romanian ran the clock and closed the game, winning the next two sets with the same score, 11-7, 11-7.

Compared to other games, Bernadette Szocs was extremely quiet, and the joy at the end of the game was extremely measured. Perhaps because it was only the first match of a meeting in which he needs two more points to advance to the semi-finals.

“It doesn't matter who wins or loses individually; what matters is that the team works together,” said Berni after the emotional victory in the round of 16, when Romania beat Serbia 3-2.

Eliza Samara, emotions only in the third set

Eliza Samara, the veteran of the team, was the next tricolor entered in the confrontation with Slovakia. She had Tatiana Kukukova on the other side of the net.

The player from Constanța climbed ten times on the European podium with the team, three times on the highest step in 2005, 2017 and 2019.

Elizabeta Samara at work Photo: ETTU

The left-hander won the first set 11-2, then allowed Tatiana to re-enter the second set, coming back from 6-9, but the Romanian prevailed 11-9.

A situation that annoyed Kukuková, who threw her paddle after the last point. A gesture that helped her, because she started the third set very well and led Eliza.

She had to find resources to level at 10, at which point she also had two serves that she didn't take advantage of, and Tatiana Kukuková won 12-10.

The Romanian team

• Bernadette Szocs (30 years old) – 2nd place in the European ranking, 16th place in the world ranking

• Elizabeta Samara (36 years old) – 6th place in the European ranking, 32nd place in the world ranking

• Andreea Dragoman (25 years old) – 22nd place in the European ranking, 87th place in the world ranking

• Adina Diaconu (25 years old) – 29th place in the European ranking, 77th place in the world ranking

• Elena Zaharia (20 years old) – 48th place in the European ranking, 198th place in the world ranking

In the continuation of the game, Eliza raised her game and voice, fought, resisted Tatiana's comeback and managed to close the game in four sets, winning the last one with 11-9.

As vocal as she was during her sets, she was as quiet as she celebrated the success. Romania was leading 2-0.

Andreea Dragoman continued what her teammates started and won without emotions against Barbora Varady with 3-0 (11-3, 11-9, 11-7). 3-0 for Romania and qualification to the semi-finals.

Romania-Slovakia 3-0

• Bernadette Szocs- Ema Labosova 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-7)

• Elizabeta Samara-Tatiana Kukulkova 3-1 (11-2, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9)

• Andreea Dragoman-Barbora Varady 3-0 (11-3, 11-9, 11-7)

Romania, duel for the grand final with the Netherlands

On Saturday, Romania meets the Netherlands in the semifinals. It will be the first confrontation with a team made up of naturalized players from Asia.

The Netherlands team, European champions in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, consists of Britt Eerland (31 years old), Shuohan Men (25 years old), Jie Li (41 years old) and Tanja Helle (28 years old).

In Zadar, the Dutch won Group C, which also included Spain and France, then eliminated the Czech Republic and Poland, which they defeated by the same score, 3-

At the last five editions of the European Team Championship, Romania won two gold (2017, 2019) and three silver (2015, 2021, 2023) awards.