České Budějovice has the championship title in the volleyball extra league. In the final, Jihostrpj defeated the Lions from Prague 3:2 in sets, overall 3:1 in matches.
The fourth final of the volleyball extra league: Jihostroj ČB – Lvi Praha.
| Photo: Diary/Editorial
Status 2:1 for matches. Concentration on each exchange. For every move. A total of 2,500 spectators in the auditorium and on the mobile stands as well as on the field. The atmosphere was captivating. The Lions from Prague arrived exasperated, strengthened by their first win in the final. České Budějovice got into great shape at the end of the season.
The lineups in the first set were without significant surprises. Jihostroj started very confidently, put behind minor disagreements and mix-ups between the stars, coach Kowal set his charges up to be very combative again. The home team soon took the lead, they read Kollátor perfectly and did not let his left hand stand out. The point difference was already 21:14. The Prague coach sent his joker Schauten, who knows the Budejovice hall very well, to serve, and he brought the Lions within striking distance with a long series of excellent serves (19:21). The dramatic ending was saved for Jihostroj by Luengas, he passed, lost, and the South Bohemians could rejoice at the win of the first set.
In the jersey of last year’s champion, Kollátor was replaced by the more experienced Schouten and Vodička came in place of Čech, the home team remained unchanged as expected. The teams competed in defense both at the net and in the field. With the score at 16:11 for the České Budějovice volleyball players, the hall was filled with shouts of monster block, monster block!, when Okolič and Balabanov stopped Schouten with a board, even twice in a row. Lodivod again sent Kollátor to the scoreboard and he brought Prague back into the second set (17:18). Sedláček pulled Jihostroj out of the predicament by attacking in the middle, but the Lions definitely did not give up. The young representative Kollátor led his team to equalize (21:21), Janouch bet on him and he fully repaid his trust. The defender messed up his attack, van Schie was blocked, and suddenly the players from the capital had a set-piece, which none other than Kollátor took advantage of.
Coach Barrial had a big advantage in this final, because he could use two great all-rounders, while Jihostroja’s all-rounder, the Cuban bomber, who was getting in great shape and was the attacking force of South Bohemia, was injured. “González has undergone surgery on his knee ligaments, he can only play in the final if someone brings him to Prague,” said club doctor Martin Scheichl with a slight exaggeration. Midway through the third set, the South Bohemians again had a slight lead (15:11), but that meant nothing in this dramatic final series, as the points flowed from one side to the other and each point was a real battle. The tactical battle also took place with the video referees, the coaches often used challenges that made the game a bit difficult, but entertained the spectators. At 22:15, the České Budějovice hall experienced a dramatic moment when the blocker Okolič collapsed under the net, the fans did not even breathe, luckily the Serbian player got up, showed a raised thumb towards the stands, and even ended the set with a successful attack himself.
Barrial made another change in the line-up, Estrada, a striker from Cuba in the Lions jersey, replaced Vodička, Prague had the last chance for a turnaround. The beginning of the fourth act was a little better for the home volleyball players, who built up a tiny two-point lead, but the Lions turned it on again and tied the series with Madsen’s serve. It was Czech again on the visitors’ side. Brave fighters in the colors of the home team Jihostroj mined the last remnants of their forces. The hot-blooded South American players on both sides gave vent to their emotions and the referees had their work cut out to keep everything within acceptable limits. The South Bohemians did not do very well with the service, which would make it difficult for the opponent’s attack, so the setter Janouch used his central players, he could combine more. The spectators rioted at every successful attack of their darlings, a wave of hands drove South Bohemia, but only the people of Prague managed set points, who turned their third into a win of the fourth set.
The fifth set had to decide the winner again. Pražany was decorated with a hard serve, Jihostroj on the other hand with a more successful defense. Who with whom? Spectators whistled at the Czech’s “modern” attack with the fingers of two hands, went crazy with joy at Okolič’s block that stopped Crer. Luengas scored the ninth point and Jihostroj jumped by 4 points. The drama continued, the Lions pulled out their claws again and lost (8:9). Van Schie ended the long exchange with a one-block, adding another point after a difficult pass from Carísio (13:10). Madsen reduced it to 12:13, but Sedláček won the match point with a shot from the center. Kovařík’s mistake on the reception meant the comparison was 14:14, and then the guests also had a match point. But the fantastic Okolič first set up another match point and then ended the great final with his block.
Jihostroj ČB – Lvi Prague 3:2 (21, -22, 17, -24, 15)referee Vlastimil Kovář, Zdeněk Grabovský, 156 minutes, 2,500 spectators (hopelessly sold out), quarter-final series score 3:1. Jihostroj B&B: Carísio, van Schie, Okolič, Sedláček, Balabanov, Luengas – libero Kovařík (Leština, Ondrovič). Coach Andrzej Kowal.
