PGE Skra Belchatow managed their second victory in a row at the first tournament in Pool A, taking place in Kedzierzyn-Kozle. On Thursday, the Polish team overcame the resistance of Turkey’s Fenerbahce HDI Istanbul to claim a 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 25-21) win and take the second place in the current standings. Fenerbahce finished the tournament on a 1-2 win-loss record.

Bartosz Filipiak was at 100% in attack during the first set keeping Skra in control of the scoreboard from beginning to end. He scored seven points (six spikes and one block) towards the emphatic 25-18 win, hammering the closing point with a perfectly targeted hit.

The second set started better for Fenerbahce and they even gained a 6-3 advantage, but Skra were quick to reassert their superiority and regain control with a six-point series for 9-6 their way. Despite Metin Toy’s seven points for the Turkish team in the set, the great team effort on Skra’s side kept Fenerbahce at bay until Milad Ebadipour’s putaway finished it off at 25-21.

The third set was by far the most competitive one of the lot. At first, Skra managed to extend their lead to three points at 5-2, but Fenerbahce came back and took control also reaching a three-point advantage at 20-17. To Metin Toy and Salvador Hidalgo’s power in serving and spiking, Skra reacted with some spectacular defence in the epilogue, hoping to close the match in straight sets. It was not to be. The squad from Istanbul held up through the end, with Hidalgo closing the set at 25-23.

A very nervous fourth set went back and forth through 12-12, the last time the scoreboard was in balance. A perfect Ebadipour kept his success rate in attack at 100% throughout the set and delivered eight points to the 25-21 win, including the back-row hit that put an end to the match.

Milad Ebadipour and Bartosz Filipiak shared the top scorer honours on 20 points apiece. Metin Toy was Fenerbahce’s most prolific player on 17.