Poland: Jastrzębski eliminate Skra from playoff semis for first time ever to become first finalist!

No.2 Jastrzębski Węgiel beat No.3 PGE Skra Bełchatów 0-3 (18:25, 22:25, 19:25) in the second match of the 2021/22 Polish Plusliga playoff semi-finals.

Thus we learned the name of the first finalist of the competition, the defending champions Jastrzębski, who swept the series against Skra by achieving a double straight-set win. The Jastrzębie-Zdrój side played against history today, too, as It faced these rivals 10 times in the playoffs and has never defeated them in the semi-finals.
This time, it happened.
MVP and man of the match Tomasz Fornal with 15 points through 71% attack, 65% efficiency, 12/17 and 3 aces, while Jan Hadrava put down decisive balls of second set, the only one with an uncertain score.

After a balanced start, things change with Toniutti’s serves, and when Ebadipour is blocked from Wisniewski, 9-11, and then make an error in reception, 9-12. Wisniewski blocks also Atanasijevic for the point of 9-13, and Bieniek and Ebadipour attack out the balls of 9-14 and 9-15. The guests are able to control the set until the end, closed 18-25 with an error from the service line of Sawicki.

Jastrzebski escape from 5-5 to 5-8 in second set too, and then even 12-16 with an ace from MVP Fornal. All easy until the 17-21, then
Atanasijevic in attack and an error from Gladyr reopen the set: 20-21. However, Bieniek fail to close the counterattack of a possible 23-23, and Hadrava put down decisive two balls: 22-25.

Hadrava himself is the author of first double advantage of third set, with the counterattack of 6-8. Bienek send out the 7-10, and Szymura don’t fail the counterattack of 7-11. Useless is time out called by head coach Kovac: Hadrava blocks Kooy, 7-12, and Szymura put down two
counterattacks in a row for a 8-15 lead. Tervaportti and Boyer on the field, and this is the French opposite to close set and game: 19-25.

Earlier, No.4 Aluron failed to upgrade a win from Game 1 against No.1 ZAKSA, losing home to the vice-champions in straight sets. So, the promotion to the grand finals between these two will be decided in Game 3, on Saturday April 30.

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🏐| PLUSLIGA 2021/22 | Playoffs Semifinals

–Game 1—

April 23
• Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle (1) – Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (4) 1-3 (25:22, 17:25, 22:25, 25:25) Serie: 0-1
• Jastrzebski Węgiel (2) – PGE Skra Belchatów (3) 3-0 (25:14, 30:28, 26:24) Serie: 1-0

–Game 2—

👉🏼 April 26

• Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (4) – Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle (1) 0-3 (20:25, 21:25, 21:25) Serie: 1-1

• PGE Skra Belchatow (3) – Jastrzebski Wegiel (2) 0-3 (18:25, 22:25, 19:25) Serie: 0-2
PGE Skra Belchatow: Lomacz 1, Ebadipour 6, Bieniek 8, Atanasijevic 13, Kooy 12, Klos 7, Piechocki (L); Sawicki 0, Schulz 0. Not entered: Taht, Adamczyk, Milczarek, Mitic,
Czerwinski. Coach: Kovac.
Jastrzebski Wegiel: Toniutti 1, Fornal 15, Wisniewski 8, Hadrava 10, Szymura 13, Gladyr 4, Popiwczak (L); Boyer 2, Tervaportti 0. Not entered: Clevenot, Cedzynski, Biniek (L), Macyra. Coach: Giolito.
MVP: Fornal.

–Game 3—

April 30
• Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle (1) – Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (4) 3-1 (19:25, 25:21, 25:19, 25:13) Serie: 2-1

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