Vasas Óbuda BUDAPEST claim maiden women’s MEVZA League title
News
Vasas Óbuda BUDAPEST are the new women’s MEVZA League champions. On Thursday afternoon, the team from Hungary’s capital city celebrated an impressive 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-19) victory over regular season’s winners OK Calcit KAMNIK in the gold medal match at the Posthalle in Vienna.
In the main phase of the 2021-2022 edition, Slovenia’s reigning national champions did not suffer a single loss. Thus, the team around head coach Gregor Rozman was also the natural favourite in the grand finale. However, OK Calcit KAMNIK, which seized the MEVZA League crown for the third time in 2020, could not live up to their role, while there was no weakness in Vasas Óbuda BUDAPEST’s game. The Hungarian side needed just 71 minutes to get its hands on the prestigious trophy for the first time.
Final Four MVP Taylor Bannister was the player of the match on 20 points, as her teammates Ayshan Abdulazimova and Yuliya Boyko scored 13 and seven times, respectively. OK Calcit KAMNIK’s Lucille Charuk and Olivera Kostic registered 9 and 10 points, respectively. The match stats: attack 39% vs 31%, aces 7 vs 6, winning blocks 12 vs 6, reception 60% vs 52% and opponent errors 18 vs 14.
Ioannis Athanasopoulos“Today, we were clearly the better team against the strongest side this season. For this reason, we deserved the title. The MEVZA League was very important for us because we do not have so many matches in Hungary. It is our first international title, so it means a lot to us.”
Head coach of Vasas Óbuda BUDAPEST
After losing to KAMNIK in the thrilling second semi-final on Friday night, hosts VB NÖ Sokol/Post SCHWECHAT also delivered a good performance in the bronze medal match against Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR. However, the Slovenian team emerged victorious with 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-14) to secure third place. MARIBOR can look back on a very successful MEVZA League history, as they won the title four times between 2010 and 2015.
Monika Chrtianska (16) and Aida Mehic (13) were the top scorers for Sokol/Post, while Anamarija Galic (22) and Mirta Velikonja Grbac (17) were the most prolific players for the Slovenians. The match stats: attack 33% vs 40%, aces 3 vs 7, winning blocks 8 vs 13, reception 60% vs 62% and opponent errors 19 vs 16.
Zuzana Pecha-Tlstovicova“Of course, we wanted to finish third, unfortunately we did not succeed. Today, we were a little weaker in all elements than yesterday. However, we sold ourselves very well at the Final Four tournament. Now our full focus is on the decisive phase of the Austrian Volley League.”
Head coach of VB NÖ Sokol/Post SCHWECHAT
For further information, visit www.mevza.org.