POLAND’S JASTRZEBSKI SURPRISES ATHENS

Men's Indesit European Champions League 2004/05

Luxembourg, December 1, 2004. On the first day of the fifth leg of the Men’s Indesit Europen Champions’ League 2004/05 VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER), JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel (POL), Sisley TREVISO (ITA) and PARIS Volley (FRA) pulled through.

Entering the Arena sports hall of VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN with his Polish team Polska Energia SOSNOWIEC coach Marian Kardas, who spent 12 years in Germany as a player and coach, was warmly welcomed by the 2’100 spectators, but finally left his former country with a 3:1 defeat. Even though the guests won the first set in a tight 28-30, the German team coached by Stelian Moculescu countered with captain Bobbi Jalowietzki taking charge from the beginning (12-5) and Elvis Contreras scoring magnificent attacks to take the second set 25-16. Jalowietzki continued to push his team ahead with three aces in a row during the third set (13-8) which Hungarian Peter Nagy finished thanks to strong serves in favour of the hosts (25-19). Alexander Shafranovich extended FRIEDRICHSHAFEN’s lead in the fourth set to a deciding 8-2 that the Poles weren’t able to catch up anymore so that after approximately two hours the home crowd could celebrate their second home victory.
Another 3:1-victory was achieved in Pool B by JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel from Poland who beat Panathinaikos ATHENS after trailing behind one set. Thanks to the Greek club’s strong Czech trio, namely setter Petr Zapletal and spikers Jakub Novotny and Petr Platenik, the guests won the first set 23-25 with Ilias Lappas making the deciding point. When JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel improved their reception and block they started leading the second set (13-9, 22-16) up until the end (25-21), equalizing to 1:1. In the third set ATHENS’ coach Stelios Kazazis ordered Polish international Dawid Murek on court, who was slightly restrained due to an injury, but the strong JASTRZEBSKI blocking didn’t allow the Greeks to score, so that the home team took the 2:1-lead. With the whole team playing at a very high level during the fourth set Puerto Rican Victor Rivera scored the main points whilst Daniel Plinski and Arkadiusz Terlecki blocked almost every attack. Leading 12-8, 16-10 it was only a matter of time until the home team beat Panathinaikos, thanking the 3’000 spectators in the Spodek sports hall of Katowice for their support. “We tried our best to win this game”, commented Dawid Murek after the match, “unfortunately JASTRZEBSKI played much better than we did.” Stelios Kazazis, coach of Panathinaikos ATHENS added that “there was neither defence nor block on our side, especially in the third set. We lacked concentration at key moments.” Igor Prielozny, the coach of the Polish side, was more than pleased, stating: “With this result KS JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel will be known in Europe. I’m really pleased by the way my team played, performing well in all elements of the game. I would also like to thank our fans who motivated us a lot.” “We’re performing better from match to match”, analysed Przemyslaw Michalczyk, captain of the home team. Arkadiusz Terlecki was voted best player of the match.

In the important Pool C clash between the well established teams of Italian Sisley TREVISO and TOURS VB from France the final result of 3:1 to Sisley was not as evident as it looks. Always leading in the first set with good performances by Samuele Papi and Alberto Cisolla in reception as well as Gustavo Endres on the attack the Italians took home the first set 25-20, profiting from a final serve error by Vladimir Nikolov. However, the same Nikolov made up for his mistake at the end of the tight second set when he closed it 23-25 in favour of TOURS VB, balancing at 1:1. In a close third set (4-9, 11-13, 12-16) the French guests were leading up until Luca Tencati blocked Alexandre Sloboda to tie at 18-18. Successful strikes by Alberto Cisolla at the end of this set gave Sisley TREVISO the set win, hence the 2:1-lead. Starting off the fourth set aggressively with strong serves putting the pressure on their opponents the Italian hosting team wasn’t endangered to take the 3:1-victory over TOURS VB.
The other French team, PARIS Volley, won three sets in a row although the first and third set were very tight and could have gone either way. In front of 1’500 French spectators in the Salle Charpy of the Stade Charlety in France’s capital Paris the home team started off impressively, not allowing Copra PIACENZA to catch up their lead (26-24). Continuing their constant good play in the second set PARIS Volley quickly took a 2:0-lead. The Serbs resisted stronger during the third set with international setter Nikola Grbic passing the balls to Cuban Leonel Marshall who finished off the point. “It was very difficult for PARIS Volley to block Marshall and to follow his moves”, explained Ghazi Guidara, the captain of the winning team. However, the French players took their chances, finally deciding the third set with a close 29-27. “We’ll have to serve and play better next week if we want to take revenge”, stated PIACENZA’s head coach Ljubo Travica following his team’s defeat.

Men’s Indesit European Champions League 2004/05, Pool rounds, 5^th leg
Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Preliminary Pool A

VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER) - Polska Energia SOSNOWIEC (POL)

3:1

28-30, 25-16, 25-19, 25-21

Preliminary Pool B

JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.S.A. (POL) - Panathinaikos ATHENS (GRE)

3:1

23-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-17

Preliminary Pool C

Sisley TREVISO (ITA) - TOURS VB (FRA)

3:1

25-20, 23-25, 25-21, 25-19

Preliminary Pool D

PARIS Volley (FRA) - Copra Volley PIACENZA (ITA)

3:0

26-24, 25-19, 29-27

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Confédération Européenne de Volleyball