ACH Volley Ljubljana Secures Another League Victory Despite Dropping a Set
In the 6th round of the Sportklub First Volleyball League Blue Group, Ljubljana’s Tivoli Hall hosted a match between ACH Volley Ljubljana and Krka from Novo Mesto. In a rather unimpressive match with a high number of errors, the home team secured another victory with a 3:1 result.
Ljubljana – Tivoli Sports Hall, Attendance: 114, Referees: Anton Pevc, Rok Zajec
ACH Volley Ljubljana : Krka 3 : 1 (19, -23, 21, 27)
ACH Volley Ljubljana: Golzadeh 16, Kržič Jošt 3, Šket, Najdič, Esko, Marovt 4, Šen 20, Kržič Janž Janez, Kovačič (L), Štalekar 6, Pokeršnik, Videčnik, Kök 15, Kumer (L). Coach: Matjaž Hafner
Krka: Travnik (L), Medved 2, Erpič 9, Kosmina 16, Bregar M. 12, Pirnar, Verdinek (L), Travnik 9, Glamočanin, Koncilja, Vidmar 3, Lindič 3, Rojnik 16, Bregar P. Coach: Tomislav Mišin
The Slovenian champions took control early in the first set, quickly establishing a comfortable lead (7:3) after an ace from Golzadeh. The "Dragons" dictated the pace and dominated in all elements of the game. Krka’s coach, Tomislav Mišin, tried to halt their momentum with a timeout, but to no avail. Štalekar extended the lead to +7 with a block, and the set ended after a service error from Rojnik (25:19).
The second set was much more evenly contested, with Krka significantly improving their block defense and reducing their errors. This translated into a lead (10:8), which grew to the highest margin for the visitors in the match (12:15). Coach Hafner called a timeout, but Krka maintained their momentum (15:19). However, an excellent serving run by Kök allowed ACH Volley to level the score at 19:19. Another dip in concentration and unnecessary mistakes from the home side gave Krka a late advantage (20:22). In a tense finish, Kosmina’s powerful attack sealed the set for the visitors (23:25).
The third set remained balanced, with neither team managing to establish a lead early on. Eventually, ACH Volley stepped up at the right moment, taking control without any significant lapses. Kržič Jošt’s ace secured an unassailable advantage, and Golzadeh finished the set with a powerful attack (25:21).
Krka started the fourth set strongly, quickly building a five-point lead (3:8). ACH Volley gradually chipped away at the deficit, with Šen delivering two aces to tie the score at 13:13. The home team took the lead heading into the final stage (19:17), but Krka fought back and equalized at 21:21. In a dramatic ending, Rojnik erased ACH Volley’s first match point with a clever attack and then gave Krka their own match point with an ace. Despite multiple opportunities for the visitors, ACH Volley, led by Šen, turned the set around and secured the victory after a marathon battle (29:27).
Saša Štalekar, ACH Volley Ljubljana Player:
"We had to regroup quickly after Wednesday’s tough loss, but we started well today and played according to plan in the first set. As the match progressed, we made too many mistakes, which Krka capitalized on in the second set. The third and fourth sets were far from our best, and Krka made things very difficult for us. Regardless, we secured another win, which is ultimately what matters most."