ACH Volley Ljubjana on the wings of Šket overthrew the team from Graz

ACH Volley Ljubljana

The 17th round of the Central European League MEVZA was played in Ljubljana's Hala Tivoli between the home team ACH Volley Ljubljana and one of the three Austrian representatives in the league, UVC Holding Graz. The Ljubljana team justified their role as favourites and after an hour of play won convincingly with a 3:0.

Ljubljana - Tivoli sports hall, 50 spectators, referees Rajković, Brlas (both Croatia).

ACH Volley Ljubljana : UVC Holding GRAZ 3 : 0 (14, 17, 17).

ACH Volley Ljubljana: Šket 20, Rutar 1, Mašulović 13, Todorović, Peruničić 4, Okroglič, Kovačič (L), Gjorgiev, Pokeršnik 13, Videčnik 1, Kök 5. Coach: Mladen Kašić.

UVC Holding GRAZ: Mikulass Koch 2, Imširović 1, Zehner (L), Ladner 2, Scheucher 1, Kratz 8, Keen, Ochaya 3, Reiter, Sablatnig 4, Drobnič 10, Kuhl.  Coach: Robert Koch.

ACH Volley Ljubljana started the match with a different line-up than we have been used to in most of the matches so far. Šket played in the position of the opposite, replacing Gjorgiev, who was given a rest by coach Kašić.

The opening game was evenly matched, with neither team gaining a significant advantage (5:5, 7:7). Three aces and four errors on the opening shots meant that both teams relied heavily on their serve. Drobnič (four points) was the standout attacker for the guests from Graz, while Šket and Mašulović were the most visible for the home team. After an attacking error by Ladner, the Orange Dragons managed to lead by three points for the first time (11:8), and by four after a block by Mašulović. The Ljubljana team was picking up the pace, which was hard for the visitors to keep up with. After a successful offensive play by Šket, followed by another Ladner offensive mistake, the Dragons took a six-point lead (19:13) before the end of the game. An ace by Videčnik for 21:13 gave the home team an unassailable lead in the first set, which was decided by a successful block in favour of the home team by the playful Mašulović, who scored six points, the most efficient player of the opening set, besides Šket, in which ACH Volley Ljubljana's volleyball players were 100% on the offensive end.

The beginning of the second set was marked by Ljubljana's volleyball players, who dominated in all elements on the wings of an outstanding collective game and took the lead right from the start (8:1) with a 6:0 split. Captain Pokeršnik was also on the offensive and successfully completed four offensive actions until the 12th point. However, the visitors woke up next and with a few successful serves and offensive actions managed to get the Ljubljana team to within two points (18:16). Two successful attacks by Šket and an ace by Rutar, who replaced Videčnik in the second set, brought the ACH Volley players back to a six-point advantage (23:17). Šket's block provided the first final ball, which Mašulović used to win the second set (25:17).

The Ljubljana volleyball team also started the third set with a bang, taking a 3:0 lead after two aces by the unstoppable Sket. Two more successful attacks by Sket pushed the Dragons to a big five-point advantage (6:1). After a couple of missed initial shots by the home team, the UVC Holding Graz volleyball team managed to get a bit closer (12:9). A block by Pokersnik for a 17:12 lead brought the Orange Dragons a calmer start to the third set, which was practically decided at 20:14 after successful offensive actions by Šket, Peruničić and Mašulović. The Ljubljana volleyball team scored a new 32nd win of the season after a mistake by Imširović on the opening shot.


ACH Volley Ljubljana player, Alen Šket: "Even though we are already qualified for the final four Mevza tournament, every victory is welcome. Today we stood very well on the court and didn't let the opponent threaten us seriously. With the tough pace of the matches, it is important to have enough width in the team, which the coach has at his disposal, to rotate the players and keep us as rested as possible."