Austria win rollercoaster to qualify for inaugural #EuroVolleyU22M

After a rollercoaster of emotions lasting more than two hours and 10 minutes, Austria managed to come out on top after five sets, beating Montenegro 3-2 to book their ticket to the Final Round of the inaugural #EuroVolleyU22M.

In fact, the match started better for the Montenegrins, who did lead throughout the first set and, despite a resurgence of the Austrians, who tied the score at 23-23, maintained their nerve, winning it 25-23. However, the team coached by Markus Hirczy rebounded in the second set, leading it all the way and winning it comfortably, 25-20. The momentum of the game was Austria’s way and they triumphed in an evenly balanced third set, keeping Montenegro at bay (25-22). However, to their credit, coach Balsa Radulovic’s team showed character, fighting hard in the fourth set, taking it 25-20 and forcing a final, fifth set that was to decide the winner.

It turned out to be a disappointing one for Montenegro, as Austria ran away with the score, and, before the Balkan team woke up, it was set, match and qualification point for Hirczy’s team, as the score was 14-6. Despite cancelling three match points, Team Montenegro failed to complete a comeback, as Vukasin Cimbaljevic, who was the best scorer of the game, wasted his serve, gifting Austria the final point of the fifth set and, alongside that, the ticket to the Final Round in Poland.

However, Balsa Radulovic’s team can take comfort in the solitary point gained from Saturday’s loss, aiming to secure the second place in Pool F by beating Albania on Sunday, although Montenegro’s chances of making it through as the best runner up of the qualification round appear very slim. For Albania, on the other hand, Sunday’s game will be a matter of pride, so as not to end the home games empty-handed.