ACH Volley Ljubljana with an Advantage but Staying Cautious

Top-level European volleyball is returning to Ljubljana this Thursday. As part of the second leg of the 1st qualifying round for the CEV Champions League, Slovenia’s reigning champions ACH Volley Ljubljana will host the Dutch champions Orion Stars from Doetinchem at Tivoli Hall, starting at 6 p.m.

As you may know, the Ljubljana side claimed a 3–1 (20, -14, 24, 26) victory in the first leg after a closely contested battle, giving them an excellent position ahead of Thursday’s decisive match. The team’s top performers in the Netherlands were Tonček Štern, who scored an impressive 26 points, and Luka Marovt, who added 14.

Ahead of the return leg, head coach Igor Kolaković and Tonček Štern shared their thoughts.

Kolaković emphasized the importance of improving their serve:

“In the first match, we made 23 service errors - practically gifting our opponents an entire set. This is the area we must definitely improve. If we maintain our level in other aspects of the game, we should achieve a positive result. Before the first leg, we had some health issues within the team, but now everyone is fit, and I believe that will show on the court.”

Štern, the best player of the first encounter, added:

“We need to focus on ourselves and keep improving our game. The opponent won’t give up despite being behind they have nothing to lose, so I expect a tough match. However, we feel comfortable here in Tivoli; it’s our home court, and our loyal fans will be there to support us. That’s exactly what we need to secure our place in the next round.”

The aggregate winner will advance to the 2nd qualifying round of the CEV Champions League, where they will face the winner of the tie between Strumica (MKD) and Dinamo B. (ROM). The Romanian champions hold a strong advantage after winning the first match 3–0 in North Macedonia.