Super League-Dmart 2023/24 (women)
2nd round. The third game. November 3
VC "Dobrodiy-Meduniversitet-ShVSM" — SC "Balta" 2-3 (25:27, 21:25, 25:19, 25:23, 11:15)
On the eve of this confrontation, it was actually difficult to make any predictions about the favorite. After all, both clubs are currently in approximately the same condition. Therefore, in the end, we got an equal game. However, there should be only one winner, and today it is Balta.
On the serve of Valentina Vorotnychenko, and then Anastasiia Kucher, who knocked out the opponents from the reception, the Vinnytsia team secured the starting momentum (5:1). The Balta team looked confused at that moment. However, with each new rally, they added to the game on the block and eventually reduced the deficit to a minimum (7:6).
Andrii Romanovych's wards periodically equalized parity. And one of the turning points for them was the ace of Valeriia Dromova, which brought "Balta" ahead (16:17). By the end of the set, the gap between the teams was already four points. The "Dobrodiy" did not give up and soon repaid their opponents with a spurt (23:23). But on the "more or less", the last word remained with the representatives of Odesa — 25:27.
In the first half of the second set, the Balta players had the initiative (5:9). Yuliia Yakusheva during one of the time-outs emphasized to her volleyball players that they "cover" the shots of the Balta team more carefully. However, almost immediately after the break, they won Ksenia Ratia one-on-one on the net, who usually does not forgive this (7:12).
Then we witnessed a repetition of the scenario of the previous set: the team from Vinnytsia almost caught up with the opponents' team (21:22). The main load in the attack of "Dobrodiy" went to Valeriia Yakusheva. And, perhaps, towards the end of the second set, the captain was already somewhere tired, which is why she was not able to show her maximum at that time - 21:25.
We can say that the third set started with Romanovych's time-out. The specialist did not like the state in which his players appeared on the court, which was also reflected on the scoreboard (5:2). This is where the substitutions started: Daria Skliarova appeared on the floor. The outside hitter revived her team's game (10:10). However, not for long, because "Dobrodiy", as the vice-champion of Ukraine, still "soaked" the score in sets - 25:19.
After the previous success, the psychological advantage was already on the side of the representatives of Vinnytsia (6:5). At the same time, their own mistakes did not give them the ease and freedom that was characteristic of the "Dobrodiy" last season. The teams went toe to toe for a long time and exchanged rushes (14:11, 14:15). Such "swings" continued until the end of the set, where fortune smiled on Yakusheva's team - 25:23.
Of course, such a match could not end otherwise - only with a tie-break. There, the volleyball players of "Balta" literally exploded on the block (1:6). The change of setters did not help "Dobrodiy" to improve the reception quickly. But when it did happen, they once again overtook their rivals (6:6). Incredible struggle and intrigue. And it's really a shame that someone had to lose today. After all, this is the Vinnytsia club - 11:15.
Starting line-up of VC "Dobrodiy-Meduniversitet-ShVSM": Yakusheva (c) (34), Kucher (8), Muzychenko (9), Vorotnychenko (9), Kostianets (8), Kryva (15), Bukatseli (l), Boiko (l). Substitutes: Vabishchevych, Zavala (1), Turkula.
Starting line-up of SC "Balta": Dromova (9), Ratii (20), Nohina (12), Strelbytska (15), Volchenko (c) (5), Horbachenko (8), Karasova (l). Substitutes: Skliarova (3), Kalashnyk.
