Champions League: Jastrzębski Węgiel first Finalist! Ziraat eliminated in semifinal.
2 min read
For second year in a row, Polish powerhouse Jastrzębski Węgiel, currently to the top of Plusliga’s charts, will be one of the protagonists of Champions League Superfinals, but this time against the winner of Italian derby between Trentino Itas and Cucine Lube Civitanova, who will face each others tomorrow (with the first one victorious in first leg).
The vedict came after a surreal very balanced game in Turkey, on the field of Ziraat Bank Ankara, who missed 5 chances to re-open the clash in first set, ended 32-34, and other two at 24-22 in the second one, also ended overtime.
And this was enough for the players around head coach Marcelo Mendez to take the first ticket avaible for Superfinal, who eventually won the game at tie break, 2-3 (32:34, 25:27, 25:16, 25:21, 7:15).
First two sets were played on a very high level, with a great performance for Jastrzębski above all from the service line, while the hosts replied with excellent attacks and blocks. Tomasz Fornal, on the visiting side, put down 12 points through 60%, Rafal Szymura 11 with 53% and Norbert Huber closed with a magnificent 8/9, while, on the other side of the net, Matt Anderson (9 points through 57%), Wouter Ter Maat (20 with 63%), Oreol Camejo (10 with 64%) and Luciano Vicentin (10 too, through 60% in attack) played a very strong game.
In short, only a few details really made the difference but, in any case, Poland already won, as this was the fourth year in a row in which a team from Plusliga will play a Superfinal, dreaming an historical tris after already taking, in 2024, the CEV Challenge Cup well-deservedly won by Projekt Warszawa and, yesterday, also CEV Cup thanks to Asseco Resovia Rseszow!
Last season, in Turin, Italy, Jastrzębski Węgiel was defeated by ZAKSA (do you remember?), this year eliminated by Halkbank Ankara in the playoffs).
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🏆| 2023/24 CEV CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | Semifinals
FIRST LEG
Wednesday March 13, 2024
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Trentino Itas (ITA) – Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 3-1 (25:17, 16:25, 25:18, 25:23)
📍ilT quotidiano Arena Trento
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Jastrzębski Węgiel (POL) – Ziraat Bankkart Ankara (TUR) 3-0 (25:13, 25:18, 30:28)
📍Hala Widowiskowo – Sportowa Jastrzebie Zdroj
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SECOND LEG
👉🏼Wednesday March 20, 2024
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Ziraat Bankkart Ankara (TUR) – Jastrzębski Węgiel (POL) 2-3 (32:34, 25:27, 25:16, 25:21, 7:15)
📍TVF Ziraat Bankkart Volleyball Hall Ankara / A
Thursday March 21, 2024
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) – Trentino Itas (ITA) 3-2 (26:24, 20:25, 22:25, 25:18, 15:9)
📍Eurosuole Forum Civitanova Marche
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