BOGDANKA LUK Lublin left no doubt as to who was the better team in the match against the last-placed MKS Będzin, winning convincingly 3:0. The hero of the match was Canadian middle blocker Finian McCarthy, who put on a real show on the service line with 8 aces and was deservedly chosen as the MVP of the match. This happened in front of the team's regular point-scorer from service, Wilfredo Leon, who was given a rest by coach Massimo Botti after the European Cup match. A few days before the match in Będzin, Bogdanka LUK defeated Sporting in Lisbon in the Challenge Cup semi-final.
Dominance in attack and a service show
Lublin's team was more effective in attack (55% vs. 45%), dominated in blocking (7:2), and exerted total control in every element of the game. Despite the overall team power, everything revolved around McCarthy's impressive performance.
The Canadian not only became his team's top scorer with 14 points — a rarity for a middle blocker — but also literally shattered the opponent's reception with his powerful serves. In the second set, he scored two consecutive aces for 6:3, and later, with four deadly serves, he put LUK ahead 19:10.
With this match, Finian McCarthy now has 147 points for the season, including 38 aces and 26 blocks.
Solid contribution from Alex Grozdanov
Besides McCarthy, Bulgarian middle blocker Alex Grozdanov also had a strong match, contributing 7 points - 4 in attack (56%), 2 blocks, and 1 ace. Grozdanov distinguished himself with a stable presence at the net, stopping key attacks from Będzin several times and helping LUK maintain a comfortable lead for most of the time.
Match without surprises
As expected, BOGDANKA LUK left no chance for MKS Będzin, finishing the match in just over an hour. The team showed why it is among the league leaders, and the individual performances of McCarthy and Grozdanov only highlighted the team's class.
With the points won, Bogdanka LUK is only one point behind fourth-placed ZAKS-y Kędzierzyn-Koźle in the PlusLiga standings.
Already on Wednesday, the team from Lublin will play another match. Their opponent in the TAURON Polish Cup quarterfinals will be Steam Hemarpol Norwid Częstochowa.
