On Saturday evening, Calcit Volley KAMNIK started their MEVZA League campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 (25-18, 25-18, 28-30, 23-25, 15-11) away win at OK Merkur MARIBOR. The hosts have already suffered their second defeat in a row after losing the season opener against defending champions ACH Volley LJUBLJANA earlier this week. Maribor’s opposite, Ahmed Ikhbayri topped the scorers’ chart in the Slovenian derby on 26 points, including an ace and three winning blocks. Mitja Gasparini hammered 23 for the winning team.
PHOTO © OK Merkur MARIBOR
There is one more match-up scheduled for this weekend. On Sunday at 5 p.m., the ten-time competiton winners ACH Volley will host MEVA League debutants UVC Holding GRAZ. “We are well prepared for the new season and we feel ready to start. It will be a tough test for us, but we have nothing to lose in Slovenia,” Robert Koch, head coach of the Austrian team, explained.
The 2021 MEVZA League features seven men’s elite teams representing three countries. Alongside ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO), OK Merkur MARIBOR (SLO), Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO) and UVC Holding GRAZ (AUT), SK Zadruga AICH/DOB (AUT), Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL (AUT) and HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO) are competing in a double round robin format. After completion of the main round, the MEVZA League will be reaching its climax with the Final Four tournament scheduled for the last weekend of February.
Men’s MEVZA League, regular season
26.09.: OK Merkur MARIBOR (SLO) vs. OK Calcit KAMNIK (SLO) 2-3 (18-25, 18-25, 30-28, 25-23, 11-15)
27.09., 17.00: ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO) vs. UVC Holding GRAZ (AUT)
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