ACH Volley Ljubljana dominated against Maribor

In the last match of the 21st round of the Sportklub First Volleyball League home team ACH Volley Ljubljana and Merkur Maribor played a derby. With a convincing score of 3:0, the Ljubljanaers were the better team and thus finished the regular part of the championship undefeated, in first place.

Ljubljana - sports hallTivoli,  spectators: 50, referees: Novak, Kramar (oba Slovenija).

ACH Volley Ljubljana : Merkur Maribor  3:0 (21, 17, 18).

ACH Volley Ljubljana: Pernuš, Šket 15, Rutar 2, Mašulović 8, Todorović, Peruničić, Okroglič 3, Kovačič (L), Gjorgiev, Pokeršnik 8, Videčnik 9, Kök 8.   Trener: Mladen Kašić.

Merkur Maribor: Cafuta 3, Herman (L), Adžović S. 1, Kovačević, Pavlovič, Bračko 4, Košenina (L), Donik 7, Adžović A., Planinšič, Kržič 5, Ikhbayri 12, Kovačič, Gergye 7. Trener: Sebastijan Škorc.

In an even start, neither team managed to gain a significant advantage. Videčnik for the home team and Gergye for the away team stood out with two points each. Šket, who played as a opposite, as he did against Črnuče, because the team captain Gjorgiev has not fully recovered from a minor injury, became more and more dangerous for the opponents from Maribor with his successful attacks. Mašulović's block for 13:11 triggered a reaction on the visitors' side and the first timeout, which helped the Maribor players to tie the score at 13. Rutar's ace brought the Dragons back to within two points (16:14), and after a mistake by Gergye, the Hungarian receiver in the Merkur Maribor ranks, the Ljubljana players entered the playoffs with a three-point advantage (21:18). This time, the second timeout at the request of Škorc did not bring a turnaround. Pokeršnik's ace gave Ljubljana a big lead (23:19), and a successful attack from the second line by the aforementioned Pokeršnik ended the set (25:21).

The second set started with the home team taking a two-point lead (4:2) on the serve of Šket. Maribor improved their block game and tied the score on the eighth point. The Ljubljana team managed to escape again, and again Šket was the main player, who was an unsolvable puzzle for the Maribor block. Kök added his own, with two aces to increase the lead to four (12:8). The Orange Dragons just kept up the pace of the game, and Videčnik's successful attack over the middle cleared all doubts about the winner of the second set. It was finished off by the most efficient player on the court, Alen Šket (25:17).

The start of the third set also belonged to the volleyball players of ACH Volley Ljubljana. The Dragons, who were in an attacking mood, led by two points (5:3) and increased their advantage further (9:6). Ihbajri, who did not have his day today, forced coach Škorc into another timeout with another mistake (10:6). This did not change the situation on the court, as the Ljubljana players more than clearly dominated all the volleyball elements, and Okroglič's successful attack brought an unassailable six-point advantage (21:15) before the end of the third set. In a calm end of the match, a successful attack by young Rutar decided the winner (25:18).

Statement of ACH Volley Ljubljana coach Mladen Kašić: "First of all, congratulations to my players for the game they played. The third match in four days is behind us, so we are really tired. I'm glad that we still played a good defensive game and fought for every point. We were a class better opponent, as evidenced by the result. Now it's time for a few days of rest, which the boys have more than earned, and then full steam ahead to the desired goal."

ACH Volley Ljubljana player Alen Šket: "A well-deserved and surprisingly easy match against Maribor. We played well and were efficient in attack. I am happy that we did a good job in the regular part of the championship and I expect the same in the playoffs."