10/12/2013 22:41
Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK misses out very closely on first points
2014 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Men
Innsbruck, Austria, December 10, 2013. After a very good performance, a 1:0 lead and a really close second set with only two points missing at 26:26 to also win game 2, Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK lost their last home match in the prelims of the 2014 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League to Poland’s JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel 1:3 (25-19, 26-28, 21-25, and 22-25).
Their mentor Stefan Chrtiansky commented: “The first two sets we really showed a great performance and competed at a high level. My team showed what kind of potential they have. In the second half of the game we could not maintain this level, I think we had to pay the price for the last weeks which were really hard as we played many games and have been travelling a lot. We could also see the high level of JASTRZEBSKI though and the individual class they have. We got really close to take our first points in the competition but in the end it was not enough, unfortunately.”
Right from the beginning Hypo Tirol showed great Volleyball and look determined to fight for their first points in Pool F. The hosts were trailing a few points in front of a great crowd again in the Olympic Stadium in Innsbruck, but found their way back with some good blocking efforts and effective play in break point situations. The result of this was a 20:16 lead in the first set and at the end they cruised to a comfortable 25:19 to take game 1.
The second set started better for JASTRZEBSKI as they took the lead right from the very beginning. The Polish team was ahead and could rely on their attacks especially by their opposite Michal Lasko. INNSBRUCK gained confidence though by winning game 1, kept themselves in the game and fought back. Again it was the blocking of Hypo Tirol (the hosts registered 18 throughout the game) which brought them back as they tied the game at 19:19. The atmosphere in the hall was very exciting and everybody could feel that this set was going to be a very deciding one. Hypo Tirol could defend a total of four set balls for their rivals, the last one to tie the set at 26:26. A successful spike down the line by Michal Kubiak made it 26:27 and an unfortunate ace closed the set 26-28.
Being that close to take a 2:0 lead the hosting team had to refocus with the match being tied at 1:1. JASTRZEBSKI, on the other hand, took the momentum from game 2 into the third set and continued playing at a high level. INNSBRUCK still performed well and fought for every point. Hypo Tirol head coach Stefan Chrtiansky brought in Alexander Tusch and Lorenz Koraimann to change it up a little, but JASTRZEBSKI was able to hold on to their lead taking game 3 with the score of 25-21.
A similar story followed also in the fourth set. By displaying some terrific spikes and exploiting their experience the players from Poland went into the second technical time-out leading the way at 16:11. Hypo Tirol came back again though showing great character and at 18:19 the crowd got loud again and the hopes were up. At the end there was just a little bit missing and JASTRZEBSKI had their first match point at 24:21, which was defended by the hosts before the second was cashed to make it 25-22 and seal the 3:1 victory for the side coached by former Volleyball star Lorenzo Bernardi.
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