Overcrowded audience and great volleyball atmosphere at Torwar helped Projekt Warszawa beat Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle and return to the competition for the PlusLiga semi-final! On Friday evening, a tie-break was needed again to determine the winner, but Piotr Graban’s team turned out to be better in it, winning 15:12, and in the whole match 3:2. The next meeting is on Saturday.
It was a real volleyball celebration in the capital. Over 5,000 fans in Torwar and overbooking, because the hosts of today’s match added additional seats for fans on the pitch. In addition, loud cheering from the first to the last ball and great sports emotions. After all, it was the third clash of the most even pair of this year’s PlusLiga quarterfinals with the participation of the club champion of Poland and Europe – Grupa Azoty ZAKSY Kędzierzyn-Koźle, as well as the host team – Projekt Warszawa, which is in a very good shape.
The first two matches, which took place on Easter in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, could be called hits, in which ZAKSA broke the noose twice, winning both matches after tie-breaks. The inhabitants of Warsaw, who themselves might have wondered how they had not won a single match in the rival’s hall, hoped that in front of their own audience they would be able to prevail over these details and return to the competition.
The project did not let up again. Although Bednorz played brilliantly
However, Piotr Graban’s team found out how difficult it is to play without a good serve and effective reception. Although it must be honestly admitted that Projekt, playing in the first two sets for 25 percent. acceptance, he was able to get about 50 percent of it. in attack, which allowed the team from Warsaw to successfully compete with a higher ranked rival.
Although Projekt was the host at Torwar, the team of guests adapted to the hall better. In the first set, the victory of ZAKSA was determined by a much better service, which brought the Polish champions as many as six points in this installment. As many as five of them are the work of Bartosz Bednorz. ZAKSY’s receiver, who has been in excellent form in recent weeks, was able to serve at least one ace on every attempt to serve in the first set, and he practically won this game for his team, because his series of serves (including two aces) allowed the Kędzierzyn team from a 20:20 draw to lead to a 25:20 win.
In the second set, Projekt continued to take badly, but ZAKSY’s service also broke down. The lack of even one ace and as many as eight errors meant that the hosts could breathe a little, not being so shot by their rivals. This allowed Projekt to successfully compete for the win in this game, although this time the emotions lasted until the last ball.
This set was extremely even, with the lead changing every now and then, and the score oscillating around a draw the entire time, as neither team played well enough to be able to take more than a two-point lead. In the end, it seemed that the details would again decide in favor of ZAKSA, which after a successful counterattack by Bednorz was already winning 20:18 and then 22:20. Nothing could be more wrong.
A mistake in Dmytro Paszycki’s service and Aleksander Śliwka’s attack resulted in a draw again, and after a while Artur Szalpuk finished off the counter, thanks to which Projekt scored three points in a row and took over the initiative (23:22). In the decisive moment of the second set, the hosts unexpectedly launched a point block. So far they have scored two points with it for almost two sets, so with the score 24:24 they added another two. First, Piotr Nowakowski stopped Śliwka alone, and then together with Jan Firlej managed to block Bednorz and Projekt won 26:24, leveling the match.
Waving and falling. The result is the third tie-break
The dispositions of both teams began to waver. In the third set, ZAKSA dominated Projekt, even despite the fact that its leader Bartosz Bednorz began to have problems in the attack (3/10). Despite this, the Polish champions still did not care about the Project service, having as much as 67 percent. positive and 55 percent. perfect party. In addition, the inhabitants of Kędzierzyn scored five points with a block, and they could still count on Bednorz’s service.
It was with the service of its receiver (including two aces) that ZAKSA scored two key series of points – first from a tie at 11 at 15:11, and then in the end from 22:18 to 25:18. Sam Bednorz finished this game with an ace service, thanks to which his team was one set from the semi-finals.
In the next set, however, the roles were reversed. ZAKSA was going through a total crisis in attack. With 47 percent in admission, she attacked with an efficiency of only 27 percent. In addition, her service stopped impressing the volleyball players from Warsaw, who played a real concert in this set. 62 percent in reception, 64. percent in attack, three-point blocks, two aces of Linus Weber and absolute dominance, which resulted in an impressive 25:16 victory. This meant one thing – for the third time, a tie-break had to decide about the victory.
Torwar red hot. The project finally got its way and closed the match
Tie-break warmed up Torwar in Warsaw. After a long action ended with a successful attack by Kevin Tillie, fighting to stay not only in this match, but also in the entire quarter-final series, the hosts took the lead 4:2. The joy of the local fans was even greater when Tillie and Jakub Kowalczyk effectively blocked Łukasz Kaczmarek (5:2), so the ZAKSA coach had to take time out.
After Kowalczyk’s successful attack, the Varsovians, driven by louder and louder cheering, switched sides with the score 8:5. And perhaps it was the hot atmosphere of Torwar that was the factor that finally managed to tip the scales of victory in its favor. Because although ZAKSA has risen from the dead many times in this competition, this time it failed. The hosts maintained a three-point advantage, and Artur Szalpuk closed the tie-break and the whole match. 15:12 and 3:2 for Projekt, which means that the fight for the semi-final on the line Warsaw – Kędzierzyn-Koźle continues.
ZAKSA leads only 2:1, and the fourth match, also in Torwar, will be played on Saturday at 20:30. The MVP of the meeting was chosen German Project forward Linus Weber, who scored 24 points out of 55 percent. attack efficiency. With 27 points, the best was Bartosz Bednorz.
Two semi-finalists already known. Trouble-free promotion of Asseco Resovia
So far, we know the two semi-finalists of this year’s PlusLiga. Earlier on Friday, the winners of the main round – the volleyball players of Asseco Resovia Rzeszów – advanced to the top four. Rzeszów for the third time, but this time away, defeated PSG Stal Nysa 3:1.
An even fight in this meeting was limited only to the first set, which unexpectedly fell to the hosts to 24. In the remaining ones, the Rzeszów team confidently triumphed – to 19, 20 and 18, winning the entire quarter-final rivalry 3:0 and losing only one set in it.
On Wednesday, Jastrzębski Węgiel checked in the top four, who dealt with Trefl Gdańsk in the same style. On Saturday, apart from ZAKSA, Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie will have a chance to settle its quarterfinals, which will play against Indykpol AZS in Olsztyn (14:45).
PlusLiga Quarterfinals:
Asseco Resovia Rzeszow – PSG Stal Nysa 3:0 (21, 18, 24)
Asseco Resovia Rzeszow – PSG Stal Nysa 3:0 (12, 23, 20)
PSG Stal Nysa – Asseco Resovia Rzeszow 1:3 (24, -18, -20, -19)
The state of the competition: 3:0 for Asseco Resovia, promotion of Resovia.
Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie – Indykpol AZS Olsztyn 3:0 (13, 20, 21)
Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie – Indykpol AZS Olsztyn 3:0 (22, 23, 21)
Indykpol AZS Olsztyn – Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (Saturday, 14:45)
The state of competition: 2:0 for Aluron CMC Warta.
Jastrzębski Węgiel – Trefl Gdansk 3:0 (19, 17, 18)
Jastrzębski Węgiel – Trefl Gdansk 3:0 (23, 12, 17)
Trefl Gdańsk – Jastrzębski Węgiel 1:3 (-23, 25, -18, -22)
The state of the competition: 3:0 for Jastrzębski Węgiel, promotion of Jastrzębski.
Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle – Project Warsaw 3:2 (-17, 20, 20, -24, 10)
Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle – Project Warsaw 3:2 (22, -18, -17, 23, 13)
Project Warsaw – Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle 3:2 (-20, 24, -18, 16, 12)
The state of competition: 2:1 for ZAKSA.
PlusLiga semi-finals:
Asseco Resovia Rzeszów – Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle / Project Warsaw
Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie / Indykpol AZS Olsztyn – Jastrzębski Węgiel.
