Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie won the Polish PlusLiga title for the first time in its history after defeating Bogdanka LUK Lublin 3:1 (15:25, 25:21, 25:14, 25:21) in the fifth and final match.
The final series offered a dramatic scenario, as for the first time since 2013, the Polish champion was determined after the maximum five matches - back then, Asseco Resovia defeated ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle 3-2.
Alex Grozdanov's team led 2:1 in the final series and was just one victory away from a historic second consecutive title, but Zawiercie turned the tide of the battle, defeating Bogdanka at home and winning the gold medals in front of a packed hall in Sosnowiec.
Bogdanka's head coach Stefan Antiga fielded the same lineup he used in the fourth match, with Jackson Young starting again in place of the recovering Ulyir Eno. Mikolaj Sawicki, rehabilitated after a doping scandal, also came in during the match.
The match started excellently for the visitors from Lublin. After 9:9, they pulled away in the score and dictated the game entirely until the end of the first set. Bulgarian international Alex Grozdanov scored the most points in this part – 4, and Bogdanka won convincingly with 25:15. The low efficiency in attack for the hosts - 27% - also contributed to this result.
The second set was far more evenly matched. The score went point for point until 17:17, after which the hosts made an important break. Lublin equalized at 18:18, but Zawiercie responded with a block and an ace to take a 21:18 lead. Boladz secured the first set point, and another ace brought the match to an equal footing.
The third set was a complete mirror of the first, but this time in favor of Zawiercie. The hosts started brilliantly with 5:1, and Bogdanka's service errors allowed Warta to accumulate break after break. Grozdanov's sixth point came at 17:9, but the visitors were already out of control. A Kwolek attack ended the set at 25:14.
Bogdanka had a chance to bring intrigue back into the fourth set after taking a 10:8 and 11:10 lead following a block by Grozdanov for his seventh point. Zawiercie, however, turned the trend with an ace and an attack out of bounds by the visitors for 13:11. Lublin got within a point several times, but after a service into the net and another break, the score became 18:15. At the end, Russell played key balls, and a service out by Sawicki gave the first championship point, followed by a block against star Wilfredo Leon, which brought the title to Zawiercie.
Alex Grozdanov finished with 8 points, a +6 efficiency rating, 4 blocks, and 44% attack efficiency.

The hosts achieved their historic triumph nine years after their first participation in PlusLiga, winning the first championship title in the club's history.
Thus, Zawiercie will participate in the Champions League Final Four as the Polish champion.

photos:plusliga.pl