ACH Volley Ljubljana advances to the national championship final without a scratch

ACH Volley Ljubljana

 

In the return match of the Sportklub First Volleyball League semifinals, held in the primary school gymnasium in Murska Sobota, ACH Volley Ljubljana faced Panvita Pomgrad for the second time this week. The Slovenian champions were dominant throughout the entire match, rightfully celebrating their qualification for the national championship final.

Murska Sobota – Primary School Gymnasium 1, 150 spectators, referees: Sanja Miklošič (Maribor), Bernard Valentar (Prevalje).

Panvita Pomgrad : ACH Volley Ljubljana 0 : 3 (-21, -20, -14).

Panvita Pomgrad: Rajnar, Doda 12, Šormaz 12, Kolarić, Drvarič 2, Vrabl, Suhadolnik 3, Legen 2, Novak (L), Mirković 10. Coach: Dejan Fujs

ACH Volley Ljubljana: Marković, Kržič 6, Šket 13, Najdič, Marovt, Kovačič (L), Gjorgiev 6, Sešek, Pokeršnik 16, Videčnik 5, Song (L). Coach: Matjaž Hafner

Panvita Pomgrad started the match against ACH Volley without the injured Bedrač, while the Slovenian champions were missing the injured Šen. Šket opened the match in Murska Sobota with an ace, and the Ljubljana team quickly took a 5:2 lead, prompting a first timeout requested by the home side, who then managed to tie the game at 5:5. Despite this, the guests steadily increased their lead, scoring points through Šket, Pokeršnik, and Videčnik, leading by as much as three at 11:14. The Sobota players did not give in and first tied at 14:14 through Doda, who then led for the first time in the set with his excellent service. The score of 15:14 for the home team forced Ljubljana's coach Hafner to call a timeout. The match remained even until 18:18, but with Šket serving, the guests made a crucial difference for a lead of 23:18, and he also finished the set with a successful attack for a 25:21 win. Until the score of 8:8 in the second set, the hosts led by at most one point, then with two consecutive points took a 10:8 lead. The guests quickly tied at 12:12 after a point by Gjorgiev, who played as a receiver, and then took the lead at 12:13, and with Pokeršnik serving for 12:14, forced Fujs to call the first timeout in the second set, and after a successful attack by Šket for 13:17, to another. This was the crucial period of the set, as there was no more catch-up for the Sobota. After the first five-point lead at 14:19, the set ended with the same five-point difference, which was also the highest in the second set. The guests won the set after Doda's mistake in attack and defense with 20:25.

Until the score reached 8:8 in the second set, the hosts were ahead by at most one point, but then with two consecutive points took a 10:8 lead. The guests quickly tied at 12:12 after a point by Gjorgiev, who played as a receiver. Immediately after, with a double block by Šket and Kržič, the Ljubljana team regained the lead at 12:13 and with Pokeršnik serving for 12:14, forced Fujs to call the first timeout in the second set, and after a successful attack by Šket for 13:17, to call another. This was the crucial period of the set, as the Sobota could no longer catch up. After the first five-point lead at 14:19, the set ended with the same five-point difference, which was also the highest in the second set. The guests won the set after Doda's mistake in attack and defense with 20:25.

The beginning of the third set also started evenly. First, the hosts led 3:1, then the guests 3:4, and again the hosts 5:4. The last tie was at 7:7, but at 7:8 Kržič came to serve for the guests, staying there until 7:11, which was the key difference for the rest of the set. This difference only grew, and the end of the set and match offered the most one-sided performance of both matches. The Ljubljana team celebrated with 14:25 and confidently advanced to the final of the national championship.

Statement from Panvita Pomgrad's coach, Dejan Fujs: "ACH deservedly won and showed their quality. We defeated ourselves, making too many mistakes in serving and attack, and you can't play like that against ACH Volley. The difference was too big; it was clear from afar that the boys had too much respect for the opponent. There was no relaxed gameplay that could have brought us a surprise. We played disjointedly, and the Ljubljana players punished that."

Statement from ACH Volley Ljubljana's coach, Matjaž Hafner: "The match was a bit nervous, but the hosts were under a lot of pressure, as this was their last chance to turn the duel around, and they played worse than in the first match. This was especially visible in serving, where they didn't exert as much pressure as they should have. We played a more consistent game than the first time, with greater pressure on serving, and I think we successfully kept them away from the net and forced them into errors. We played a solid match, while Sobota players performed worse than the first time."