Ural Ufa lost the regular match to Delecta Bydgoszcz, however, the Russians turned out to be more efficient in the Golden Set, as the result, Ural qualified to the great final of the 2013 Challenge Cup. Having won over Dulka Liberec in straight sets, Copra Elior Piacenza maintained its winning cruise in Europe and completed the final pair.
Delecta Bydgoszcz – Ural Ufa 3 – 2 (25-18, 21-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-12)
First match: 1 – 3
GOLDEN SET: Delecta Bydgoszcz 12 – 15 URAL UFA
Delecta: Masny 2, Antiga 12, Wrona 14, Konarski 20, Wika 10, Jurkiewicz 13, Debiec (L) and Wieczorek 3, Owczarz, Lipinski
Ural: Falasca, Spiridonov 14, Ashchev 12, Pantaleymonenko 27, Abramov 17, Kazakov 8, Verbov (L) and Vissotto 5, Botin, Zhloba
After losing on Wednesday in Russia, the home guys mentored by head coach Piotr Makowski started out really well cashing the opening set with the score of 25-18. The game was extremely close in the next couple of sets but Ural UFA showed some “killer instinct” down the final stretch to move up 2:1 in sets. Supported by their fans, the players of Delecta could seize the fourth set and call for the tie-break where they played with great consistency and showed excellent reception to make it to the golden set. However, in what is a real make-or-break bout, Ural UFA caught the better start (3:0) and did not look back to cruise to the 15-12 that sealed the game and contributed a ticket to the final.
Delecta team captain Wojciech Jurkiewicz could not hide his disappointment during the press conference that followed the game: “We could achieve only half of the goals we had set for this game. Though we won the match it wasn’t enough to make it to the final as the golden set went to our opponents. We can’t blame ourselves as we played our best and it was just a question of bad luck”.
“I have to congratulate our opponents because they played an amazing game and we are really impressed by the quality they displayed today” Ural UFA team leader Alexey Kazakov said. “This time Delecta could line-up their starting setter Michal Masny and this literally changed the game in comparison with the first clash we had in Ufa. We had some more luck in the golden set and could finally make it to the next round”.
“I first of all would like to congratulate our opponents from Russia as they were better than us today” Delecta mentor Piotr Makowski said. “They have got great individual players who simply compose a great team. I wish them all the best for the final match with Piacenza. I also have to thank my players who played superbly today though we failed to win the golden set”.
“I am evidently happy with this win as this was a tough match. We eventually could make it through at the golden set and advance to the final” concluded a delighted Angiolino Frigoni, the Italian-born head coach of Ural Ufa.
Dukla Liberec – Copra Elior Piacenza 0 – 3 (14-25, 20-25, 13-25)
First match: 0 – 3
Dukla: Reznicek 2, Spravka 3, Kaminski 1, Hadrava 4, Hesky 5, Stanek 7, Kopacek (L) and Burrow 5, Zajicek, Vodvarka, Demar
Copra: De Cecco 2, Papi 7, Holt 15, Fei 11, Zlatanov 13, Simon 6, Marra (L) and Vettori 2, Ogurcak, Tencati, Corvetta
A total of 2,000 fans had got together on Saturday afternoon in Liberec to cheer on the home guys as well as watch out for the actions of the international stars included in the roster of Copra Elior. US American Maxwell Holt top scored in the end with 15 points with Hristo Zlatanov adding 13 to the count of Piacenza. Lubomir Stanek paced Dukla LIBEREC in their losing effort with 7 points with Tomas Hysky and Ryan Burrow registering 5 apiece.
After missing the first game in Italy due to a knee injury, local setter Pavel Reznicek was back in action to be included in the starting six of the home side that included also opposite Jan Hadrava, middle blockers Adam Kaminski and Lubomir Stanek, outside hitters Hysky and Ales Spravka, plus libero Vaclav Koplacek. Piacenza responded with setter Luciano De Cecco, opposite Alessandro Fei, middle blockers Holt and Robertlandy Simon, wing spikers Zlatanov and Samuele Papi, plus libero Davide Marra.
Dukla Liberec started out pretty well in the first set (7:5) but Piacenza gradually found their best game to cruise to a comfortable 25-14. Dukla head coach Michal Nekola opted for changes in the second set with outside hitter Ryan Burrow joining the game and though the score remained a little close, still Piacenza kept control of the operations to call for the 2:0 (25-20). The guests from Italy dominated the scene in set 3 going up 8:3 and 16:6 by the first and second technical time-out to cash a massive 25-13 to celebrate their second straight win in a few days.