ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO) extended their winning streak in the men’s MEVZA League to three games in a row. The defending champions did not disappoint their supporters at the Tivoli Hall, cruising to a straight-set (25-18, 25-17, 26-24) home win over underdogs Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL (AUT) on Sunday evening. ACH Volley’s Petar Dirlic was the player of the match after delivering an impressive performance resulting in as many as 25 points. Arthur Darmois scored 11 points for Waldviertel.
As a result, the team from Ljubljana improved their win-loss record to 6-2 and recaptured the top spot of the current table on 18 points followed by compatriots Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO). This coming Saturday, the national rivals will lock horns in Kamnik and they will battle for supremacy in the main round. Currently, ACH Volley are two points ahead of Calcit Volley, but have played one match more than their closest pursuers so far.
ACH Volley head coach Matija Plesko: “We got well into the game, showed a proper performance and claimed another win over WALDVIERTEL, which is a very solid team. They already proved their quality with a stunning victory against Calcit Volley three weeks ago. Hopefully we can improve our game even further, because the challenges lying ahead will not be easy!”
ACH Volley Ljubljana 2019 – PHOTO © Alen Hadzic
UOK Banjaluka Volley BANJA LUKA (BIH) and GEN-I Volley NOVA GORICA (SLO) ended the first half of the women’s main round Sunday night. Slovenia’s national runners-up needed four sets to overcome the hosts and bottom of the table 3-1 (18-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-22).
Thus, GEN-I Volley moved up to third place in the current table behind Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR (SLO) and Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO), while Banjaluka Volley still have to wait for the maiden point in their very first MEVZA League campaign. Milica Sorak hammered 18 points for the home team, as Mirta Velikonja Grbac and Sara Kovac scored 17 points each were GEN-I Volley.
PHOTO © UOK Banjaluka Volley BANJA LUKA
“We entered the game with low energy that costs us the first set. Afterwards we found our game and took the next three sets. We have to continue working hard in training to get better step by step”, GEN-I Volley head coach Tilen Kozmernik explained. Banjaluka Volley wing spiker Milica Sorak said: “We started really well, everything worked fine. But in the second set we started making mistakes and that brought GEN-I back into the game. After that we did not find a way to get back on track.”
Final Four hosts announced earlier this week
GEN-I Volley NOVA GORICA and Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL will be hosting this season’s Final Four tournaments. The women’s competition reaches its climax on February 8 and 9, while the men’s finals are following on March 4 and 5!
Men’s MEVZA League
23.11.: HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO) vs. Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO) 1-3 (19-25, 19-25, 25-17, 21-25)
23.11.: OK Mladost BRCKO (BIH) vs. OK Mladost Ribola KASTELA (CRO) 0-3 (22-25, 22-25, 19-25)
23.11.: SK Zadruga AICH/DOB (AUT) vs. OK MARIBOR (SLO) 3-2 (24-26, 25-23, 25-17, 23-25, 15-8)
24.11.: ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO) vs. Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 26-24)
30.11., 20:30: Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO) vs. ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO)
02.12., 20:00: OK MARIBOR (SLO) vs. HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO)
Women’s MEVZA League
22.11.: ZOK Bimal-Jedinstvo BRCKO (BIH) vs. HOK KASTELA (CRO) 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-12)
23.11.: Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO) vs. HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO) 3-2 (21-25, 25-27, 25-21, 25-13, 16-14)
24.11.: UOK Banjaluka Volley BANJA LUKA (BIH) vs. GEN-I Volley NOVA GORICA (SLO) 1-3 (25-18, 18-25, 16-25, 22-25)
30.11., 17:00: HOK KASTELA (CRO) vs. HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO)
01.12., 19:00: UOK Banjaluka Volley BANJA LUKA (BIH) vs. ZOK Bimal-Jedinstvo BRCKO (BIH)
02.12., 18:00: Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR (SLO) vs. Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO)
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