Muszyna, Poland, February 24, 2011. The sports hall located in the tiny village of Muszyna was as usual packed with the local passionate Volleyball fans who wanted to help the girls of Bank BPS Fakro in their quest for a ticket to make it to the final four of the 2011 CEV Champions League. However, Azerbaijan’s Rabita BAKU needed only one hour and a half to claim the first match of the Playoffs 6 in straight sets (25-23, 25-21, 25-19). “In my opinion some small details determined the final outcome of the match tonight, but generally speaking Rabita was the best side. However, I still believe in the chances of my team” said the head coach of Bank BPS Fakro MUSZYNA, Bogdan Serwinski. The hosts started off pretty strong (8:5) and that looked like a good omen for MUSZYNA; Rabita stormed back and tried to close the gap, so as the margin was cut to one point, Serwinski decided to ask for a break and went for his first substitution with Klaudia Kaczorowska replacing Kinga Kasprzak. Rabita BAKU also made a change, with Olga Ativi (Tocko) for Kimberly Glass, and the Azerbaijanis could finally draw the count at 16 all. Natalya Mammadova, as the final rush of the set was approaching, took some risks and so her attacks finished sometimes off the court. After a tie at 20, Sanja Starovic scored for Rabita and BAKU went up in the score for the first time since the start of the game. Rabita changed gear and was not to stop anymore, closing the set 25-23.
BAKU opened the second set with the right confidence and consistency, forcing Serwinski into an early time-out as the score stood at 4:1 for the guests, but it did not help as Rabita was setting the pace 8:3 by the first mandatory stop. MUSZYNA clawed back with real fighting spirit and the contribution of Joanna Kaczor (11:10) but Rabita was once again ahead as the referee whistled for the second technical time-out (16:14). Bank BPS Fakro finally closed the gap at 20 all but as in the previous set Rabita played an excellent money time to stamp the final 25-21 on the scoreboard.
There is a popular adagio in Volleyball that says “if you do not win 3:0, then you end up losing 2:3”, so the third set was going to turn into the moment likely to define the final outcome of the game. The score stayed tight up to 14:14 and after that Rabita made the difference in attack, widening the gap (22:18) and finishing the job with a real missile of Kimberly Glass (25-19).
“I am satisfied with the play of my team and I have to admit that for us it was very important to take a victory here before the second match taking place in Baku. However I want to emphasize that Bank BPS Fakro is a very strong team and everything is possible in the next match” said after the game Serbian-born coach Dejan Brdjovic.
Rabita made the difference with their blocks (11 vs. 6 for MUSZYNA) as well as in attack, where their efficiency stood at 43% to compensate a reception that was not that fabulous (only 29% positive and 19% excellent). Natasha Krsmanovic and Natalya Mammadova were the top scorers tonight for BAKU with 16 and 15 points respectively. Joanna Kaczor (15) and Katarzyna Gajgal (13) stood out for Bank BPS Fakro. “We are only halfway and it is not yet over” said captain Aleksandra Jagielo. “We have been going through this scenario many times, we are being defeated but then finally we make it through. Of course Rabita is a very strong team and will be an even more difficult rival at their home but we are not going to give up that easily” she concluded.
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