In the first semi-final of the Challenge Cup, the Polish millionaire team Warsaw showed their powerful skills in the packed Akaa Areena on Tuesday.
Akaa-Volley also played quite decently, but the set numbers 0-3 (18-25, 20-25, 14-25) tell about the skill level of the Polish guests. The volleyball match was watched by 1660 spectators, which is a new Akaa-Volley audience record.
– I was hoping that they would come with their jackets open, but they didn’t. My offensive game was good for two sets, not anymore in the third. We lost the most in defense and defense, summed up the coach of Akaa-Volley Olli Kunnari for STT.
Among others, an Olympic champion, three world champions and a total of six World League winners performed in Projekt Warsaw. Before Tuesday, Akaa-Volley had won all 14 of their home matches this season, i.e. 10 in the league and four in the Challenge Cup. Now victory was not even close.
Akaa-Volley attacked in the match with 51 percent efficiency, i.e. excellent. However, the corresponding percentage for Projekt Varsova was amazing – 75 percent. The famous Polish crew attacked 55 times in the game, scoring 41 points, one direct foul and three times Akaa-Volley blocked the attack worth a point.
Aka Czech chopper Matej Smidl scored 20/+14 according to euro statistics. Twenty points to three against a world-class opponent is a tough number, but ten offensive errors were also included. Smidl was on close guard, Warsaw had done its homework.
Jere Heiskanen scored 10 points and Petteri Tyynismaa six.
– The level difference was big. The biggest thing was in the blocking defense and in the fact that they hit effectively even from bad positions. My attack percentage wasn’t bad, but my friend’s was much better, Heiskanen admitted.
Visit the hacker Bartomey Boladz scored 17 points on 78% offense, all-around player Artur Szalpuk 12 and Tokyo Olympic champion Kevin Tillie eight.
The second semi-final will be played in Warsaw on February 7. For the next place, the Finnish team needs at least a 3-1 away win and after that a win in the golden round.
Turkish Galatasaray and Italian Monza meet on Wednesday in the second semi-final pair of the Challenge Cup. It is the third highest level of competition in men’s volleyball Eurocup.
Akaa-Volley is only the third Finnish team among the top four in the volleyball Eurocup, after Pieksämäki NMKY and the women’s team LP Viest.
At 20:59 STT’s comments about the match were added to the story.