Ljubljana, Slovenia, January 12, 2011 – ACH Volley from Bled lost its second match of the season and the first one in the home sports hall Stožice. The Slovenian champion was defeated by Jastrzebski Wegiel from Poland 0:3 (21:25, 21:25, 23:25). The best player for the home team was Alen Šket with 15 points and for Jastrzebski Wegiel that was Lukas Divis with 18 points who was also the best scorer of the match. Before tonight’s match the host ACH Volley as well as Jastrzebski Wegiel from Poland had the chance to finish the League Round as first in Pool C.
To the first technical timeout the teams kept exchanging in the lead (7:8). Afterwards the guests managed to escape by two points (10:12) but thanks to its block the team from Bled managed to catch up. At the second technical timeout the result was in favour of Jastrzebski (15:16). Both teams made many serving errors but in the final Hardy’s excellent block (20:22) forced the home coach to take the first timeout. The guests kept their cool and a point by Divis won them the first set.
The guests started off well in the second set (1:3) but ACH Volley quickly turned around the result and took the lead 4:3 with a point by Jakopin. The players of Jastrzebski Wegiel kept their focus and at the first technical timeout they were leading by two points (6:8). The team from Bled tied the result at the ninth point, thanks to Kamnik’s blocks, but then made too many errors (11:14). Nevertheless, the home team did not surrender and after a score by Gasparini the result was once again tied (17:17). In the final ACH Volley’s players did not improve their performance and ended the set with 21 points.
The beginning of the third set brought the smiles back on the faces of spectators in Stožice as ACH volley took the lead 4:1. Unfortunately this advantage quickly evaporated and at the first technical timeout the result was 8:7. The performance of the team from Bled kept falling and after a score by Yudin the Poles took the lead for the first time in the third set and only increased it by the second technical timeout (13:16). Straight after that the Slovene team cut the difference to one point and manage to keep it until 18:19. Divis’s successful the guests escaped by three points (20:23). ACH Volley’s players returned in the game (23:24) but did not have enough energy left and Jastrzebski Wegiel deservingly won the first place in Pool C.
Matevž Kamnik, ACH Volley’s middle blocker: “We made too many serving errors, which was the cause of our defeat.”
Andrej Flajs, ACH Volley’s captain: “Today we have been in the subordinated position most of the match. Our opponent managed to escape us at the beginning and then we used up a lot of energy to catch up. We were too impatient, we wanted to achieve too much with our serves, risked too much with the attack and our defence did not work as it used to. Unfortunately we disappointed and lost.”
Igor Kolaković, ACH Volley’s coach: “I am definitely not pleased. We played for the first position in the pool. We lost our patience and practically gave away points. Our serve and attack were bad.”
Lorenzo Bernardi, coach of Jastrzebski Wegiel: “It was not an easy match to win but before the game I was certain we will do everything to win. It was a very important match for us and also for me as a coach and gave me and the entire team more confidence for the future.”
Mitja Gasparini, Jastrzebski Wegiel’s opposite: “We thoroughly prepared for ACH Volley and came to Ljubljana to win. It was the little things that decided the match. With the new coach our training system changed and we all improved our performance.”
PR