10/02/2016 23:55
Atomic Girls celebrate hard-fought tie-break win over PIACENZA
2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Women
Sopot, Poland, February 10, 2016. PGE Atom Trefl SOPOT claimed on Wednesday night an amazing victory in their first matchup on schedule for the Playoffs 12 of the 2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League – Women edging Italy’s Nordmeccanica PIACENZA at the tie-break (25-18, 20-25, 25-19, 24-26, 15-13). The great performance delivered by the hosts was shared by 1,800 spectators who loudly supported the Atomic Girls from start to end.
PGE Atom Trefl SOPOT caught a promising start playing well in all elements, leading early on by 2-0 and 5-2, before piling up a five-point cushion at the first technical time-out (8-3). The Italians, however, did not lose their faith and started to display some excellent blocks stopping the real leader of the Atomic Girls, Katarzyna Zaroslinska, two times in a row to make it 11-9. This positive run for the team of coach Marco Gaspari ended shortly afterwards as Zaroslinska came back to the game in great style gaining points for her side not only in attack but from the service line as well, so Poland’s vice champions extended their lead to six points at the second technical time-out (16-10). The hosts dictated the pace all the way through the first set (20-13) to wrap it up at 25-18.
The visitors from Piacenza came out with all guns blazing in the second set and after Klaudia Kaczorowska’s mistake in attack and a great Italian block on home star Zaroslinska, they took an early 4-1 lead. The home side woke up immediately and fought back to level the score at 4-all. The Italians did not seem too bothered and when their Serbian setter Maja Ognjenovic went to the service line, they scored four points in a row (10-6) and kept leading the way also at the second technical time-out (16-13). The Atomic Girls left their hearts on the court but made too many mistakes in the final stages of the set and although Zaroslinska started her personal show again, being well supported by Kaczorowska, finally it was not enough to change the course of the set and the Italian team was the one to celebrate in the end (25-20).
The early stages of the third set were a close affair. Halfway through the period the hosts started their show again and this resulted in a four-point lead (16-12) for the home side. Justyna Lukasik replaced Brittnee Cooper and she took one straight point from the service line. After that her teammates perfectly blocked Floortje Meijners and Poland’s vice champions moved the score to 19-13. PIACENZA tried to come back and even forced SOPOT coach Lorenzo Micelli to take a break for his team but PGE Atom Trefl SOPOT were the ones who dictated the pace until the end of the set and eventually finished it off 25-19.
After a close start in the fourth set, Katarzyna Zaroslinska went to the service line and she got her moment of glory, scoring four points in a row. She served hard and propelled SOPOT to an 8-4 lead at the first technical time-out. The visitors showed time and again that there are no easy opponents in the Playoffs 12 and an unstoppable Francesca Marcon scored point after point delivering a brilliant performance in attack. As a result, SOPOT trailed by two points at 12-10 and PIACENZA made it 16-13 in their favour at the second technical time-out. Home coach Micelli tried hard to change the course of the game and decided to replace Zaroslinska and setter Danica Radenkovic with team captain Anna Miros and Anna Kaczmar respectively but they also could not stop the ‘Italian storm’. Zaroslinska and Radenkovic returned to the court and all PGE Atom Trefl SOPOT players fought hard combining spectacular blocks with defence actions to close in at 23-22. PIACENZA had a first set ball but SOPOT levelled at 24-all before the two points that followed went to the team from Italy that eventually stretched the match to a fifth set.
The final set was another close and exciting battle. PIACENZA caught the better start (4-2) but this early lead was quickly erased when Maret Balkestein-Grothues went to serve and the Atomic Girls scored three points in a row. As the teams switched sides of the court PIACENZA were 8-7 up and the match continued point by point as neither team was able to claim a two-point lead. Towards the end of the set Lukasik replaced Cooper once again and she contributed to two match balls for the home side (14-12). Poland’s vice champions eventually finished it all off by using their second chance and the undisputed ‘Atomic hero’ Katarzyna Zaroslinska was the one who killed the last spike for 15-13 and a hard-fought 3-2 home win.
“It was a very difficult and challenging match for both teams. PGE Atom Trefl SOPOT were better at serving and now I hope we will have enough time to work on stabilising our reception. We have another game in front of us and the situation can be different, so we are waiting for SOPOT and the rematch at home,” said Indre Sorokaite of Nordmeccanica PIACENZA.
“We are very happy with this victory, now we have opened the door to win in Piacenza as well. The Italian team played a really good match and both teams left their hearts on the court and that is why I cherish this victory so much,” said Anna Kaczmar, PGE Atom Trefl SOPOT setter.
Best scorers of the game were Katarzyna Zaroslinska and Christina Bauer for SOPOT and PIACENZA with 30 and 20 points respectively.
Poland’s vice champions can celebrate their first victory in the Playoffs 12, but it definitely was not an easy run. And even though PGE Atom Trefl SOPOT got a small edge before the rematch in Italy, there is still one more game to win and as history has already showed, everything can change even within only two weeks.
Click here for more info including detailed stats of the match
|