Slovenian Champions Exit European Competitions After Defeat Against Ziraat

ACH Volley Ljubljana

Na povratni četrtfinalni tekmi pokala CEV smo v turški Ankari spremljali obračun med odbojkarji ACH Volleyja Ljubljana in zvezdniško zasedbo Ziraat Banka iz Ankare, za katero je tudi tokrat odlično nastopal Tonček Štern. Slovenski prvaki so skozi celotno srečanje prikazali dober odpor in Turčijo zapuščajo z minimalnim porazom ter dvignjenih glav.

Ankara – Sports Hall Ankara, gledalcev: 1500,  Referees : Mikheil Guniava (Georgia), Epaminondas Gerothodoros (Greece).

Ziraat Bank : ACH Volley Ljubljana   3 : 2  (20, 18, -20, -23, 13).

Ziraat Bank Ankara: Anderson 5, Ter Maat, Sahin Hilmi, Štern 17, Savas 6, Bulbul 9, Sahin Haci 2, Yenipazar 1, Zonca 5, Gunes, Clevenot 18, Kir (L), Bayraktar (L), Gedik.   Coach: Mustafa Kavaz.

ACH Volley Ljubljana: Golzadeh 9, Kržič Jošt 4, Šket 1, Najdič, Esko, Marovt 15, Šen 17, Kržič  Janž Janez, Kovačič (L), Štalekar 6, Pokeršnik 6, Videčnik 1, Kök 9, Kumer (L).   Coach: Matjaž Hafner

The opening set started in favor of the Turkish hosts, with Anderson securing a four-point lead (7:3). Ljubljana fought back, as Marovt’s attack cut the deficit to one (10:9), and Golzadeh leveled the score at 12. Both teams remained tied at 18, but Ziraat Bank stepped up in the closing moments, sealing the first set with a 4-0 run (25:20).

In the second set, Ziraat Bank quickly pulled away, as Štern’s powerful spike extended their lead to +7. Bulbul finished the set, giving the Turkish side a 2:0 advantage.

With Ziraat Bank already securing a CEV Cup semifinal spot, ACH Volley still showed resilience. Determined to challenge the favorites, the Slovenian team fought back, winning the third and fourth sets thanks to strong block-defense and a well-balanced lineup selected by coach Matjaž Hafner. This effort tied the match at 2:2, forcing a decisive fifth set.

The final set remained tight, with ACH Volley holding an excellent position at the side change (8:8). However, a crucial 4-0 run by Ziraat Bank gave the hosts the necessary edge. The persistent Dragons managed to close the gap to just one point (14:13), but ultimately ran out of steam, falling 15:13.

Matjaž Hafner, Head Coach of ACH Volley Ljubljana:: "We played a solid match. In the first set, we were level until 18 points, showing good block-defense, but their individual quality made the difference, especially with Anderson’s serves. In the second set, Ziraat raised their serving intensity, and we simply couldn't keep up. In the following sets, both coaches rotated the lineups, which worked in our favor as we improved our level of play. It's unfortunate that we couldn't win the fifth set after tying the match, but overall, it was a great experience that will be valuable for the rest of the season."