05/02/2014 19:47
JASTRZEBSKI claims first round of Polish derby with Resovia
2014 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League – Men
Jastrzebie-Zdroj, Poland, February 5, 2014. JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel claimed on Wednesday the first round of the Polish derby with Asseco Resovia RZESZOW delighting more than 3,000 home fans with a straight victory (25-22, 25-22, and 25-23) to move closer to a spot in the Final Four Tournament of the 2014 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League – Men scheduled for March 22-23 in Ankara, Turkey. The last Final Four appearance for the team from Upper Silesia dates back to 2011 as they ended their campaign in fourth place by the time the last act of the competition was held in Bolzano, Italy.
Though these teams know each other very well, that was the first time they were crossing their ways with a ticket to the Final Four of Europe’s elite competition at stake. The home side was cheered on by more than 3,000 fans all wearing the orange outfits that JASTRZEBSKI is known for thereby contributing a terrific ambiance at the Hala Widowiskowo-Sportowa.
The team captain of JASTRZEBSKI, Michal Lasko was back in action after sitting out for six weeks due to injury. He had missed some of the most important matches so far this season including the home fixtures with Halkbank ANKARA and TOURS VB but had already tested his condition last Saturday in a game of the national league versus the likes of Politechnika WARSZAWSKA.
On the other side of the net, the head coach of Asseco Resovia, Andrzej Kowal could not count on his experienced libero Krzysztof Ignaczak who had stayed in Rzeszow after suffering an injury. He was replaced by Bulgarian-born wing-spiker Nikolay Penchev and by the only 17-year old second libero Mateusz Maslowski.
The score stayed very close up to 14 all in the opening set before two points scored by Lasko and Michal Kubiak called for the second technical time-out (16:14). JASTRZEBSKI got a three-point lead on a service mistake by Resovia opposite Dawid Konarski (22:19) and that small cushion was then maintained up to the end of the set (25-22).
Resovia made a series of mistakes in the early phases of the second set and this way the hosts stormed out to a terrific 7:2 lead; the guests could find back their best game to draw level at 18 but Kubiak showed a superb performance behind the service line down the final stretch to pave the way for the provisional 2:0 lead of the home heroes (25-22).
The players of Resovia could not find a way to come back while JASTRZEBSKI showed great composure to control the game also in the final rallies of the third set to claim a well-deserved 3:0 home victory (25-23). Michal Kubiak and Peter Veres top scored for JASTRZEBSKI and Resovia as they registered 17 and 14 points respectively.
“We are very happy with our performance tonight but we still have to win also the second game next week in Rzeszow” commented JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel team captain Michal Lasko.
“We only made a first step on our way to the Final Four” added head coach Lorenzo Bernardi. “We shall not forget what happened in the Italian derby opposing PIACENZA to MACERATA in the Playoffs 12 where Copra Elior lost the first game in straight sets but then came back winning the return match as well as the golden set. Next week we must play with glowing hearts and a cold mind.”
“As I already said well before this game, things will be decided only after the second game” stressed Asseco Resovia mentor Andrzej Kowal. “JASTRZEBSKI could find a way through our block and this way they won the first round.”
“JASTRZEBSKI played really strong tonight and we could not cope with their float serves” said Resovia team captain Aleh Akhrem. “Our counter-attack did also not work and all this determined the final result. However, it is not over yet!”
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