11/01/2017 22:00
European level Slovenian “Derby” brings home victory for Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR
2017 CEV Volleyball Cup - Women
Maribor, Slovenia, January 11, 2017. In their 1/16 Finals home match in the 2017 CEV Volleyball Cup, Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR beat their own national champions Calcit LJUBLJANA 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20).
500 spectators came to Športna dvorana Lukna in Maribor to watch this crucial 1st leg and will have enjoyed what they saw with a close match being eventually taken by the home team. This Slovenian “derby” also saw Calcit LJUBLJANA present their new coach, Nicola Negro from Italy.
The away team started the game much better and by the first technical time-out were leading 8-6. After a successful attack from Najdič-Planinšec, Branik tied the score at 12-12 and in the next action an ace from Saša Planinšec took them into the lead. From here the hosts took the initiative and after a block from Sara Najdič on Slavina Koleva they were up by five points (18-13). Calcit LJUBLJANA fought back and they got close at 20-21, but this was not enough. The ending of the first set belonged to MARIBOR, who took the first set 25-21 after a mistake by Ilka Van de Vyver.
Calcit again took an early lead (4-0) and seemed in total control of the set. They continued and managed to build a six-point advantage by the second technical time-out. The home team tried to close the gap, but were not successful and Calcit matched the first set 25-21 score and tied the match at 1-1.
Again the early exchanges of the third set belonged to the visiting team, as they managed to gain a two-point advantage at the first technical time-out (8-6). Nova KBM players managed to come back and after a mistake from Slavina Koleva the score was in their favour at 16-14. However, another turn immediately followed with Calcit taking a 19-17 lead after an ace serve from Ilka Van de Vyver and an attack error by Nika Blagne. In a dramatic finish, both teams exchanged the lead before Calcit had the first set point at 24-23. However, they failed to convert it and Iza Mlakar brought Nova to a 25-24 lead and from here the home team took the third set 26-24.
Set 4 started with a 3-1 lead for Calcit, but MARIBOR answered with seven consecutive points and went into the first technical time-out with an 8-3 lead. Branik held onto the lead and after a service ace by Anita Sobočan led 16-12. Calcit did not give up and after a block from Olivera Kostič the score was tied at 18-18. From here number 13 from Nova KBM Branik, Anita Sobočan, was the driving force, scoring five of the remaining seven points for her team, who won the set 25-20, and the match 3-1.
After the match Anita Sobočan said: “We started the game very nervously, since we knew a lot was at stake in this game. We made too many mistakes, but we managed to pull ourselves together and got an important win.”
Click here for more info including detailed stats of the match
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