23/06/2012 20:40
Serbia downs Hungary to extend winning streak to 11 matches
2012 CEV Volleyball European League - Women
Piatra Neamt, Romania, June 23, 2012. Serbia scored its eleventh win in the prelims of the 2012 CEV Volleyball European League – Women by downing Hungary in straight sets (25-22, 25-17, and 25-14) on Saturday in Piatra Neamt.
Serbia immediately dictated the pace of the game and asserted its supremacy with middle blocker Milena Rasic standing out for the “Plavi” and contributing a massive 8:0 and 16:7 lead by the first and second technical time-outs respectively. Hungary was totally overwhelmed by that show of strength displayed by Serbia but still opposite Rita Liliom could power back her side with the set ending in a 25-22 for last year’s winners of the European League.
A similar scenario unfolded in the second set where Serbia stood out in all fundamentals going up 8:1 and 16:12; Rita Liliom and Gréta Szakmary were the only Hungarian players somehow able to stand such a terrific storm but still with the contribution of youngster Bianka Busa, plus the blocks by Milena Rasic and Maja Savic, Serbia could comfortably cruise to the final 25-17.
The history of the match did not change in set 3 where Serbia continued its show (8:2, 16:7) and could eventually finish it off this time with a massive 25-14 to prolong its invincibility in the event.
In the other match of the day the home heroines of Romania edged Spain in straight sets (25-21, 25-19, and 25-19). Spain had started pretty well (8:5) but Romania flipped the score around by the second technical time-out mainly via the spikes by Denisa Rogojinaru (16:12). The defense of Maria Segura helped Spain’s setter Patricia Aranda to provide some good combinations for her opposite Milagros Collar but once again anchored by Rogojinaru and Daiana Muresan, the home side did not let it go and cashed the opening set by the score of 25-21.
The local favorites committed quite many mistakes in the early stages of the second set with their opponents going up by 2 at the first technical time-out. The group mentored by Atanas Petrov was able to find its way back with Rogojinaru and middle blocker Nneka Onyejekwe going up 16:11 and even though Collar brought Spain to -3, still a very inspired Rogojinaru took her side by the hand to go for the provisional 2:0 (25-19).
Romania set the pace all the way through in the third set (8:5, 16:12) with Collar being the only one from Spain that was able to provide the home side with real resistance. Still that was not enough to stop the Romanian express whose good performance in reception paved the way for the final 3:0 (25-19).
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