Drama filled matches the recurrent theme in #EuroVolleyU20W qualifiers

Czechia and Montenegro were the winners of the two dramatic matches contested on Saturday in the #EuroVolleyU20W qualifying Pool D in Kaunas, Lithuania. 

The pool favourites – Czechia and Slovenia – opened Saturday’s programme. The Czechs lost the first two sets, but after analysing thoroughly the game of their opponents, they changed the course of the match and after a tough five-set thriller, they eventually celebrated a 3-2 victory (22-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-15, 15-11), thereby taking revenge on the Slovenians for their loss in the MEVZA Championship held earlier this year. The Czechs stood out with their unstoppable ace serves, registering as many as 11 throughout the match. Martina Pokorna led the Czech national team with 23 points. Adela Chladkova added 14 to their count. Nina Svetina scored 15 points for the Slovenian team in their losing effort. 

Later in the day, hosts Lithuania were one step away from securing their first victory against Montenegro. Although they were passionately supported by a large home crowd, the locals did not manage to have the upper hand and after nerve-wracking five sets, they lost to their opponents by 2-3 (25-16, 25-18, 23-25, 26-28, 12-15). The Lithuanians started the match energetically and efficiently. Accurate serves provoked mistakes by the opponents and allowed them to dominate both the first and second sets. The Lithuanian national team also started the third set well, leading 19-11. However, Montenegro had a 9-1 positive run to level the score, and eventually won the set as well. A dramatic fight unfolded in the fourth set, with Montenegro emerging victorious. In the decisive fifth set, Team Montenegro finished the match in their favour with three points in a row, thus upsetting the home team and local crowd. Anastasija Jesipenko scored 22 points for Lithuania, Arina Petuchova totalled 19, and Rusnė Kalendraitė added nine to the count of the home side. Darja Popovic set the pace for Montenegro with 21 points followed by Gordana Madzgalj with 19. 

“We prepared well, studied our opponents, and played more relaxed than we had done yesterday. In the first match, the girls did feel some extra pressure. Today we played solidly in the beginning, made only a few mistakes, and had a high attack percentage. Unfortunately, we stumbled in the third set. After leading 19-11, we lost the set. It was a turning point in the game. Our rivals used this against us and overtook the initiative. Maybe tiredness and tension got in our way, and we did not manage to finish the game in our favour,” said the assistant coach of the Lithuanian team, Aleksandras Volobujevas.

“This game? Well, it was a very crazy match. I would like to congratulate my team and the other team as well. There was a great audience, and we did our best to play and win. We are very happy with the result,” said the captain of Team Montenegro, Gordana Madzgalj. 

In Pool C, which is being contested in Kienbaum, Ukraine keeps their immaculate record after celebrating a second 3-0 triumph in as many matches. Estonia failed to capitalise on as many as six set points in set three and on the chance to close the gap, but with a strong series of serves, Ukraine was able to win the game without conceding any set (25-21, 25-17, 29-27). Andriana Pavlyk was their top scorer with a personal tally of 17 points. 

Later in the evening, Team Germany lost their matchup with Finland in four sets. The Finns, who had lost the first game to Ukraine, started strongly, and put the German team under much pressure. Finland’s head coach Joonas Huhtakangas: “We knew that Germany was a strong team and therefore we wanted to play with more energy today. We succeeded. That was a strong game and a big step when it comes to improving our performance compared to yesterday.” Top scorer for the Finns was Annika Koivuniemi with 17 points.