14/01/2014 22:15
Khimik stuns Aluprof with straight home victory
2014 CEV Volleyball Cup - Women
Yuzhny, Ukraine, January 14, 2014. Ukraine’s Khimik YUZHNY showed a great performance on Tuesday night to down Poland’s Aluprof BIELSKO-BIALA in the 1/4 finals of the 2014 CEV Volleyball Cup – Women. The guests from Poland did not stand a chance and Khimik comfortably cruised to a straight victory (25-17, 25-18, and 25-20) waiting for the return game coming up next week.
The players of Khimik started off very strong and with their service literally shook Aluprof defense line, thereby claiming a five-point lead right in the early phases of the opening set. An ace by Nadiia Kodola was followed by a fast attack killed by Iryna Trushkina, and with another spike by Yuliia Pervukhina the score stood at 8:3 for Khimik as the first technical time-out was called. The course of the game did not change with Khimik YUZHNY imposing their pace (16:11, 21:16) before Belarusian Anastasiya Harelik sealed the final 25-17.
Aluprof nevertheless responded by using similar tactics and their performance behind the service line paved the way for a 5:0 lead in the second set. Khimik trailed 3:8 at the first mandatory stop and head coach Sergei Holotov decided to replace Pervukhina with Kateryna Kalchenko. This was a good move as Kalchenko changed the course of the game, with Khimik fighting their way back and getting back control of the operations at the second technical time-out (16:12) before cruising to a comfortable 25-18 to make it 2:0 in sets.
In the third set the head coach of Aluprof, Miroslaw Zawieracz, decided not to include Danijela Nikic and Karolina Ciaszkiewicz-Lach in his starting six, but Khimik firmly kept control of the game (3:0). As Harelik blocked Helena Horka the score moved up to 7:3 and the second technical time-out was called by the score of 16:9 for Khimik after an error made by Heike Beier. With three aces in a row by Kateryna Kalchenko, Khimik got a series of ten match balls (24:14) but they missed on six opportunities to close the game as the Ukrainian players could not find a way through the Polish block. Finally it was Nadiia Kodola who finished it off at 25-20 thereby top scoring in the game with 16 points, the same tally registered by her compatriot Iryna Trushkina (pictured #3).
This straight victory sounds as a good omen for Khimik waiting for the return game next week in Poland but Aluprof shall not be underestimated for they already fought back in the 1/16 finals after losing their away game to France’s ASPTT MULHOUSE.
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