Jastrzebski through to the #SuperFinals for a second year in a row

The Polish club volleyball will have yet another time a representative at the CEV Champions League Volley - Men #SuperFinals. Last year’s runners-up, Jastrezebski Wegiel will have another opportunity to grab Europe’s most dreamed of trophy - the #CLVolleyM. The players of head coach Marcelo Mendez did their job right in the away semi, winning at 3-2 against Ziraat Bank Ankara. The celebrations for the Polish team started right after the second set, as they needed two sets to proceed ahead after having won 3-0 in the first semi-final. 

Jastrezebski, who have reached the semi-finals of a CEV Champions League campaign for the fifth 

time, will have a new chance to climb on the top of Europe’s tier club competition after losing to Grupa Azoty Kedzierzyn-Kozle in five sets back in  2023. 

Now, the Polish are waiting to find out who they will face in the SuperFinals, as the second team to battle it out for the Gold will be determined tomorrow in the game between Cucine Lube Civitanova vs Trentino Itas.

Ziraat Bank ANKARA 2-3 JASTRZEBSKI Węgiel

However, today’s win didn’t come easily for the guests. In each one of the five sets, the two sides were following each other in the score. 

Both Ziraat and Jastrzebski showed fighting spirit right after the first referee whistle. No one could give up, but in the battle of nerves (8-8, 18-18,29-29), it was the Polish who eventually prevailed at 34-32. More successful in attacking (24 to 13 winning spikes), Jastrzebski emerged victorious, even though they let more errors affect the score (14 to six).

To the delight of the almost 3000 fans in TVF Ziraat Bankkart Volleyball Hall Ankara continued in the second set as well. After another “cat-and-mouse” game, Jastrzebski secured the second set as well, stamping their ticket to the SuperFinals, as even four kill blocks delivered by the hosts weren’t enough to stop them. 

Fighting for their honour, having lost their chances to continue ahead, Ziraat came back stronger in the next two sets, leading in the score for 25-16, 25-21. They improved their attack in the third set (12 to 5 five winning spikes), while, on the other side of the net, new faces entered the court, feeling the emotion of the semi-final. 

In the deciding fifth set, the guests from Wegiel showed domination, and finished the match on a positive note with 46% exc. in attack (to 36% by Ziraat).

Setter Benjamin Toniutti was chosen for MVP. Wouter Ter Maat of Zirat Bank finished as top scorer with 20 pts. to his name (63% exc.in attack), while for the winners Tomasz Fornal hammered 12 (60% exc. in attack).