Poland: Olsztyn (1-3 on the field of Belchatow) and Aluron (3-1 over Resovia) win first quarterfinal Game 1

Only one day after the end of regular season, the 2021/22 Polish Plusliga playoffs started today with a surprise in Bełchatów.
No.6 Indykpol AZS Olsztyn silenced the home fans by defeating the home side of PGE Skra Bełchatów with a score of 1-3 (25:19, 24:26, 26:28, 14:25) and coming to a step from advancing to the semi-finals.
Interestingly, this was the first defeat of Skra to Olsztyn in the last 4 years!
The guys around coach Kovac played a good first set but then, from the middle of the second one, they weren’t able to keep the same rhythm above all from the service line, while the guests did it, with a comeback from 15-11 until the decisive 24-26, closed at second match point by DeFalco.
Decisive, however, the 3rd set, in which the hosts wasted a lead of 9-4. After a balanced partial, take advantage from an error in attack by Ebadipour, 22-23, to close thanks to another error, this time from Taht (26-28), entered on 22-23 in place of Kooy. Fourth set was one-sided.
Karol Butryn was the absolute man of the match today scoring 30 points 69% in attack, 56% efficiency, 1 block and 5 aces, while American Taylor Averill set up 4 blocks.
MVP award for sixth time this season to setter Firlej.
On the other side of the net a very good Atanasijevic in attack (19 points, 70% and 52% efficiency), but with 0 aces and 5 errors from the service line.

In second match of the day, No.4 Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie and No.5 Asseco Resovia Rzeszów staged an amazing spectacle full of twists and turns in their Game 1.
The former won in four sets (27:25, 24:26, 25:20, 27:25) and are closer to reaching the semi-finals.
The losing side almost forced the match to the tie-break but failed to convert a lead of 21-17 in the 4th set to tie the game at 2-2. Thw set ended 27-25 with 2 set points cancelled and an error in attack by Muzaj (anyway the best of Resovia with 26 points, 60% and 50% efficiency in attack and 2 winning blocks).
Serbian Uroš Kovačević led Aluron to the victory with 27 points (MVP with 56% and 40% efficiency in attack and 2 aces).
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🏐| PLUSLIGA 2021/22 | Playoffs Quarterfinals

–Game 1—

👉🏼 April 12

• PGE Skra Belchatów (3) – Indykpol AS Olsztyn (6) 1-3 (25:19, 24:26, 26:28, 14:25)
Belchatów: Lomacz 1, Ebadipour 12, Bieniek 13, Atanasijevic 19, Kooy 10, Klos 9, Piechocki (L); Sawicki 1, Schulz 0, Taht O. Not entered: Adamczyk, Milczarek (L), Mitic, Czerwinski. Coach: Kovac.
Olsztyn: Firlej 4, DeFalco 17, Averill 11, Butryn 30, Andringa 3, Poreba 9, Gruszczynski (L); Krol 0, Siwczyk 0, Jakubiszak O. Not entered: Jankiewicz, Ciunajtis (L), Bakiri, Janiszewski. Coach: Weber.
MVP: Firlei.

• Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (4) – Asseco Resovia Rzeszów (5) 3-1 (27:25, 24:26, 25:20, 27:25)
Aluron: Tavares 4, Kovacevic 27, Zniszczol 4, Konarski 17, Conte 16, Niemiec 9, Zurek (L); Malinowski 0, Orczyk O. Not entered: Bienkowski, Cavanna, Makos (L), Rajsner, Szalacha. Coach: Kolakovic.
Resovia: Drzyzga 2, Deroo 11, Kochanowski 12, Muzaj 26, Cebulj 12, Kozamernik 8, Zatorski (L); Bucki 0, Szerszen 0, Woicki 0, Buszek O, Tammemaa 4. Not entered: Krulicki, Potera (L). Coach: Mendez.
MVP: Kovacevic.

April 13
• Jastrzebski Wegiel (2) – Trefl Gdańsk (7) 2-3 (28:26, 25:18, 18:25, 21:25, 13:15)
• Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle (1) – GKS Katowice (8) 3-0 (25:21, 25:12, 25:22)

–Game 2—

April 15
• Indykpol AZS Olsztyn – PGE Skra Belchatow 0-3 (21:25, 13:25, 23:25) Serie: 1-1
• Asseco Resovia Rzeszów – Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie 1-3 (25:19, 23:25, 23:25, 22:25) Serie: 0-2

April 16
• Trefl Gdansk- Jastrzebski Wegiel 0-3 (23:25, 23:25, 14:25) Serie: 1-1

April 18
• GKS Katowice – Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle 1-3 (29:27, 19:25, 20:25, 19:25) Serie: 0-2

–Game 3—

April 19
• PGE Skra Betchatów (3) – Indykpol AS Olsztyn (6) 3-2 (29:27, 23:25, 25:19, 22:25, 15:13) Serie: 2-1

April 20
• Jastrzebski Wegiel (2) – Trefl Gdansk (7) 3-0 (25:17, 25:16, 25:18) Serie: 2-1

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