ACH Volley Ljubljana opened the CEV Challenge Cup with a convincing victory

ACH Volley Ljubljana

The first match of the CEV Challenge Cup 16th finals was played between home team ACH Volley Ljubljana and VC Barkom-Kazhany from Lviv. The Orange Dragons won convincingly with an outstanding volleyball performance, which impressed the crowd in the Tivoli hall and gave themselves a very good starting point for the return match next week.

Ljubljana - sports hall Tivoli, spectators:1000, referees Butto (Israel), Brlas (Croatia).

ACH Volley Ljubljana : VC Barkom-Kazhany LVIV 3 : 0 (14, 17, 13)

ACH Volley Ljubljana: Pernuš, Šket 5, Rutar, Mašulović 9, Todorović 3, Peruničić 1, Okroglič 1, Kovačič (L), Gjorgiev 18, Pokeršnik 6, Videčnik 6, Kök 3.  Trener: Mladen Kašić

VC Barkom-Kazhany Lviv: Dyachkov 12, Shevchenko (L), Holoven, Nalozhnyi 5, Koval 2, Zhukov (L), Polishchuk, Dovhyi 1, Kucher 5, Biber, Smoliar 2.   Trener: Ugis Krastins.

The Orange Dragons opened the opening set with a bang, taking a 4:0 lead after the initial shots by Šket. The Ljubljana team's initial charge was stopped by the visiting coach Krastins with a minute break at 6:1. The home players, with the roaring support from the stands, continued their excellent play and were only increasing their lead (11:4) when the visitors' coach intervened with his second minute of break time. After another mistake by the unfocused guests, the Orange Dragons had already built up an unassailable nine-point lead (16:7). The visiting team was further troubled by an injury to libero Zhukov, for whom the game ended prematurely. The set ended on 14 points after a successful attack by the skilful opposite Gjorgiev.

The start of the second set was more even. Initially, Barkom-Kazhany volleyball players were in the lead (0:2), but the Ljubljana volleyball players quickly caught up and tied the match on the fifth point. The Orange Dragons increased the rhythm of the game and moved into a three-point lead (8:5 ; 9:6). The Orange Dragons were particularly strong in the serve and block. Gjorgiev continued his excellent attacking play and was an unsolvable puzzle for the Ukrainian block. The Ukrainians also let the Orange Dragons know for a moment that they were not going to give up so easily, as they closed to within a point (11:10). However, this only further encouraged the Ljubljana team, who quickly put things back on track. With some attractive offensive finishes, they took a five-point lead (16:11). After a great block by Videčnik, the Ljubljana volleyball team was already up 20:12, which meant that they would win the second set as well. The set ended in favour of the Orange Dragons (25:17) after an error by the guests on the opening serve.

The Orange Dragons did not let up and started the third set with a bang (5:1 ; 7:2). The team of multiple national champions continued to perform convincingly and was better in all elements of the volleyball game. After a new ace by Gjorgiev, the score of 11:2 made it perfectly clear who would be the winner of today's encounter. In the following round, the home strategist Kašić offered the opportunity to the rest of the home volleyball players as well. Kök, Pernuš, Okroglič, Rutar and Peruničić entered the game. The continuation of the set showed that they completely dominated the court of the full Tivoli hall, where after an attractive attack by Kök, the Ljubljana players led by 12 points (19:7). The first match of the 16th final of the CEV Challenge Cup ended after just over an hour of play with a mistake by the visitors on the opening serve (25:13).

Statement of ACH Volley Ljubljana coach Mladen Kašić: "A top performance in front of a full Tivoli Hall. I am glad that all the players got a chance to play and justified the trust. We won the first half more smoothly than I imagined, but next week we have a return match in Ukraine where we have to repeat today's performance."