Super League-Dmart 2023-2024
V round. January 12, 2024
"Epicenter-Podolyany" - VC "Zhytychi-Polissia" – 2:3 (27:25, 16:25, 25:23, 20:25, 16:18)
The starting line-up of "Epicenter-Podolanyi": Jorna (scored 11 points), Tervaporti (4), Finger (27), Koval (4), Smoliar (10), Kisiliuk (1), Fomin (l), Zhukov (l). Substituted: Nalozhnyi (15), Didenko (1), Kavogo (1), Ostapenko (1), Uryvkin (0).
Head coach: Mauricio Paes.
Starting line-up of VC "Zhytychi-Polissia": Shapoval (scored 38 points), Babic (8), Vilimanovic (2), Rudnytskyi (14), Luban (0), Didovic (20), Khvasta (l), Yablonskyi (l) . Substitutes: Hubenko (10), Kuranov (0).
Head coach: Serhii Tereykovskyi.
The fifth round of the "Super League-Dmart" volleyball championship of Ukraine is underway at the PVLU arena. On January 12, the leaders of the championship and the winners of the national Super Cup of different years - "Epicenter-Podolyany" from the town of Horodok and the Zhytomyr team "Zhytychi-Polissia" met in a match.
The positive impression from the start of this spectacular match was slightly spoiled by the injury of Mykyta Luban, the main player of "Zhytychi" (2:3). Later, a similar unpleasant situation befell the "bisons": libero Andrii Zhukov was injured as well (21:18). The end of the first set was even and intense (25:25). Oleksandr Nalozhnyi broke through the block, and in the next episode the opposite Viktor Shapoval made a mistake in the attack - 27:25 and 1-0 in favor of "Epicenter".
In the second set, Zhytomyr demonstrated 71% of attacks. In contrast, Mauricio Paes' team is only 41%. "Zhytichi" made 3 blocks with joint efforts and made fewer mistakes of their own, which was the result of a confidently won set - 25:16.
After a 10-minute break, the Podolyany returned to the game with renewed strength (4:1). "Zhytychi" sometimes got closer to the opponent (8:9 - 16:16). Shapoval's series of aces was especially good (21:21). However, the "bisons" and, in particular, Michal Finger were determined to press the opponent in this set. The middle blocker Artem Smoliar put the impressive full stop with an ace - 25:23.
The wards of Serhii Tereykovskyi again regained the lead in the fourth set. This happened thanks to the mistakes of the opponent and another series of powerful servings from Viktor Shapoval (14:9). The players of Zhytomyr were not joking and outplayed the Podolyany team both in attack and in terms of emotions. 25:20 and 2-2.
Tie-break. A shortened, decisive set, which is traditionally called a "lottery". It seemed tense and spectacular. Both teams demonstrated high-quality volleyball (7:7 - 15:15) and fought for every point. This is evidenced by the transition of the game to the "more or less" situation (15:15). In the end, Shapoval played flawlessly and efficiently, he attacked twice in a row from the fourth zone and, in the end, brought victory to his team - 18:16 and 3-2.
The most productive player of this exciting meeting was the opposite Viktor Shapoval. He scored 38 points. He received the MVP award.
Watch online match broadcasts on the DIVISPORT YouTube channel or Megogo and Sweet.TV platforms.
