17/01/2019 02:18
Calcit Volley through to #CEVChallengeCupM quarterfinals after dominant display
2019 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup - Men
Kamnik, Slovenia, January 16, 2019. Calcit Volley KAMNIK beat Savo Volley KUOPIO 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-17) in the 1/8 Finals of the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup and since the previous matchup in Finland had ended in a 3-2 victory for the home team, KAMNIK move on to the quarterfinals where they will play Italy’s Vero Volley MONZA.
The beginning of the opening set was not promising anything good for the home team. The Finnish opposite Olli-Pekka Ojansivu was unstoppable until the scoreboard showed 6-3 for Savo Volley KUOPIO. Calcit KAMNIK took the lead with 8-6 after a strong attack by Dmitrii Babkov and a mistake made by experienced Antti Siltala on the other side of the net. With an effective play in attack and good blocking, the home team continued to lead with 20-14. After that, Savo KUOPIO came closer with three consecutive points (20-17), and thanks to Siltala a few moments later the difference was only two points (21-19). All doubts about the winner of the first set disappeared through the playful Babkov, the most effective player with seven points in the opening set alongside Ojansivu.
The hosts started the second set confidently, stepping forward by six points (8-2) with Miha Bregar on the block. Klemen Hribar, home libero, proved himself on the court despite his fresh injury, together with the tall Sašo Štalekar, who made two consecutive blocks in the middle of the set, keeping Calcit KAMNIK with a six-point advantage (14-8). Coming closer to taking the second set as well, the Slovenians were truly dominant after an ace by Andrej Štembergar Zupan (18-10). The set ended with a well-played action by Štalekar and Štembergar Zupan.
Visiting coach Jukka Tuovinen completely changed the starting six at the beginning of the third set, leaving even their best players Siltala and Ojansivu on the bench. Yet this did not help them much. Home setter Aleksandar Ivković was distributing the ball smartly among his teammates, Calcit did not make service mistakes and on top of that, the Finnish could not break through Kamnik’s block. With Štalekar on the block, it was already 14-8 for Calcit KAMNIK, but the home team did not stop pressuring the opponent. Overall, KAMNIK made fourteen blocks as the match finished with a mistake made by the Finns.
Aleš Hribar, head coach of Calcit Volley KAMNIK: “Perhaps this was not our best performance this season, but it certainly was close to it. We prepared well for Savo Volley. We somehow eliminated their two key players in the second set already, making it slightly easier for us to continue our journey in this competition. We are still having a great deal of troubles with ourselves, making this win today a good foundation for the remainder of the season. It is a confirmation that we are on the right track. The quarter-finals with MONZA will be a reward for our team.”
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