Central European champions for the 11th time

ACH Volley Ljubljana : OK Merkur Maribor 3:1 (-23, 17, 27, 18)

ACH Volley Ljubljana: Toman, Ropret 3, Pernuš, Toukhteh 14, Dagostino, Pavlović, Bošnjak, Okroglič 5, Rutar, Pokeršnik 15, Videčnik 5, Kök 16, Vučićević 17.

OK Merkur Maribor: Cafuta 5, Herman, Šket 8, Mulec, Detela, Možič 20, Košenina, Donik 5, Uremovič 5, Adžović, Planinšič 1, Kisiliuk 2, Ikhbayri 10, Kovačič.

The last action of this year's MEVZA league is over. For the fourth time this season, ACH Volley Ljubljana and OK Merkur Maribor competed in the final. In the climax of the Central European competition, the Slovenian volleyball team was the better team with 3:1. Third place went to Kamnik.

We watched an even first set and a fight for every point. Highly motivated volleyball players on both sides showed quality play, and the opening set started to break in the middle when Rok Možič gave Maribor a 15:12 lead. A half-minute break was immediately called by Ljubljana coach Matija Pleško, after which the Dragons won the next two points (14:15). The ten-time champions of the Central European League were in contact with their opponents, who were in the final for the first time in the club's history, but they did not relinquish the lead. In the playoffs, they took advantage of the Ljubljana team's mistakes on the opening stroke and took a 1-0 lead in sets with a finish by Možič (23:25).

After a similarly even start to the second set (6:6), the Slovenian champions started to pick up the pace and, first with an attack by Božidar Vučićević and then with a block, built up a two-point lead (9:7). After two errors by the Štajerska, the Ljubljana team increased their lead by another point (12:9), and Vučićević added a successful offensive rebound on the next possession (13:9). The Dragons defended the difference valiantly, with Matej Kök making a significant contribution by sealing the set with a raid (25:17).

The exciting third set went to the Maribor side first, with an ace by Možič giving them a 9:5 lead. The Styrians held a four-point lead at 15:11, but then the Dragons started to close the gap. Vučićević started the run, Toukhteh followed with a block and the difference was no longer obvious (14:15). The Ljubljana team tied the score at 17 after a great serve by Vučićević and an easy finish. The teams remained even until the end of the match, and in a tense finish, the Ljubljana volleyball team took a 2:1 lead in the set (29:27).

The fourth set was started convincingly by captain Gregor Ropret (4:0) with a leadoff hit and two aces. Toukhteh added an ace for 7:2 and the Dragons relaxed. The reliable Kök added a second for 15:9 and they didn't let up in the rest of the match. Maribor could not find an answer to the playful Ljubljana players, who won their third consecutive MEVZA trophy with a 25:18 victory in the last set.

Matija Pleško, coach of ACH Volley Ljubljana: ''The boys showed their true colours in this final tournament of MEVZA. They approached things with maximum seriousness in the semi-final and then they carried that energy into the final match. The winning mentality was always there, and I would like to congratulate the boys at the end. We are expected to win titles as a matter of course, but it is really hard to defend our laurels, especially when the competitors are getting stronger. I am happy that we have won the first leg and it is time to celebrate. Tomorrow it will be sweet history and we will have to think about how to achieve more victories.''