From a Tough Away Match in Kanal, ACH Volley Ljubljana Emerges Unscathed

In the 3rd round of the Sportklub First Volleyball League, the Sports Hall in Kanal hosted the match between ACH Volley Ljubljana and Alpacem Kanal. The Slovenian champions secured their fourth consecutive league victory, once again without dropping a set.

Kanal – Sports Hall Kanal, spectators: 900, referees: Anton Pevc (Škofja Loka), Nejc Klinar (Žirovnica)

Alpacem Kanal : ACH Volley Ljubljana 0 : 3 (-22, -23, -22)

Alpacem Kanal: Mugerli, Ćinćur 6, Jerončič 3, Lavrič, Vinčić, Godnič 3, Stojanovič, Okroglič (L), Ristić 9, Kovačič, Pičulin (L), Maretič 8, Ranc 13. Coach: Gregor Jerončič.
ACH Volley Ljubljana: Golzadeh 14, Kržič Jošt, Šket, Najdič 1, Marovt, Šen, Kržič Janž Janez, Kovačič (L), Štalekar 6, Pokeršnik 9, Videčnik 6, Kök 15, Kožar, Kumer (L). Coach: Matjaž Hafner.

Saturday night’s volleyball match in Kanal had an almost festive atmosphere. The fully packed stands promised an excellent evening of volleyball.

The first set began evenly, with Alpacem Kanal taking a three-point lead at 7:4, thanks to strong serves and solid defense. However, ACH Volley quickly responded, leveling the score at 8:8. The teams found their rhythm, battling point by point in a relatively balanced contest. At 11:14, Kök scored an ace, prompting the home coach Jerončič to call a timeout. The Orange Dragons maintained a three-point lead for the remainder of the set. Štalekar sealed the set with a powerful middle attack, taking the first set for ACH Volley.

The Ljubljana team started the second set with the upper hand, showing versatility in their offensive plays. Pokeršnik attacked successfully for an 8:4 lead, while Najdič creatively finished for 11:6. A lapse in concentration by the Slovenian champions allowed Alpacem to close the gap to two points, after Ranc's effective attack (13:15). In the latter half of the set, the visitors from Ljubljana held a slight advantage, which they carried into the final stretch (20:23). Although Kanal managed to come within a point, Ljubljana kept their composure, with Golzadeh closing the set in their favor.

The third set was equally competitive, with both teams battling for every point. The score was tied at 15:15 after Ristić delivered an ace. However, ACH Volley found their momentum, blocking Kanal’s attacks and gaining a four-point lead (18:22) before the end of the match. Pokeršnik capitalized on the second match point to secure the victory for the Ljubljana team (22:25).

Statement from ACH Volley Ljubljana player, Jan Pokeršnik:
“We expected a tough match at the tricky away venue in Kanal, where the home fans created an incredible atmosphere. Despite this, we delivered a solid performance and played with enough focus in key moments to win all three sets. We return to Ljubljana with three more points, which is the most important thing.”