Bulgaria was a point away from defeating China, but luck was on the side of the hosts, who managed to save a match point and close the match with 2:3 (21:25, 25:22, 15:25, 26:24, 14:16). Thus, the Bulgarian women's national volleyball team missed a chance for a prestigious victory over China, but after an intense and evenly matched game, they conceded a comeback and a loss.
Strong start for China, but the Bulgarians quickly returned to the match
The match started hesitantly for our girls, who made two errors in attack right at the beginning, and the opponent took a 6:2 lead. Despite momentary flashes of brilliance – an ace by Nasya Dimitrova and good plays by Alexandra Milanova – the first set went to China.
In the second set, Bulgaria started strong, led by Radostina Marinova and Elitsa Atanasijević. The convincing start (7:1) provided the necessary confidence, and the technical attacks at the end of the set brought an equalization in the match.
China responds with an advantage, but Bulgaria doesn't give up
The third set was again entirely under the control of the Chinese team, who imposed a high tempo and left no chances – 25:15. Our national players experienced difficulties in reception and attack but did not lose concentration.
In the fourth set, they showed character. Hristina Vuchkova was key with a series of blocks and attacks through the center, and Elitsa Atanasijević's composure in crucial moments brought success – 26:24.
Tie-break that could have ended differently
The decisive fifth set started well for Bulgaria – 4:1, 8:7. The team showed stable play, even taking a 14:13 lead at the end and earning a match point. China, however, reacted calmly, equalized, and at 15:14, took advantage of their chance. The final point – an attack by Mengjie Wu – ended the match.
Conclusions and looking ahead
Despite the loss, Bulgaria demonstrated good organization, a stable block, and effective offensive play for much of the match. This was a match in which the team showed potential, discipline, and a desire to compete with leading teams on the world stage.
After such a performance, there remains the bitterness of the missed opportunity, but also the feeling that this squad has more to show in the upcoming matches.
Analysis of statistics: what the numbers behind the game showed:
| Indicator | Bulgaria | China |
|---|---|---|
| Attacks (attack points) | 72 | 69 |
| Block | 9 | 11 |
| Aces (serve) | 3 | 6 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 17 | 26 |
| Total points | 101 | 112 |
Attack and defense
Bulgaria scored more points in attack (72 vs 69), which shows efficiency in offense and variety in finishing attacks. At the same time, China was more solid in blocking (11 vs 9) and serving (6 aces vs 3), which tipped the scales in their favor at key moments.
Errors and opportunities
The biggest difference is in points gifted by opponent's errors - China made 26 errors, compared to only 17 for Bulgaria. This is almost an entire set's advantage that our team could not fully utilize.
Individual performances:
| Player | Points |
|---|---|
| Elitsa Atanasijevic | 22 |
| Nasya Dimitrova | 20 |
| Mengjie Wu (China) | 32 |
| Zhuang Yu.S. (China) | 18 |
Elitsa Atanasijevic played an exceptionally strong match, demonstrating stability and creativity in attack.
Nasya Dimitrova contributed with solid play in the middle, both in offense and block.
From the Chinese team, Mengjie Wu stood out as a leader with 32 points - a key factor for the victory.
Bulgaria's individual statistics:
| No. | Name | Position | Total points (ABS) | Attack | Block | Serve | Errors | Efficiency (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Atanasijevic (c) | OH | 22 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 19.18% | |
| 2 | Dimitrova N. | MB | 20 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 18.64% | |
| 11 | Vuchkova | MB | 17 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 10.00% | |
| 19 | Milanova A. | OH | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1.67% | |
| 17 | Marinova | O | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | -5.56% | |
| 7 | Kitipova | S | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -3.85% | |
| 23 | Stoyanova | O | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -26.67% |
Additional game elements:
| Element | Bulgaria | China |
|---|---|---|
| Reception | 108 | 93 |
| Defense (dig) | 116 | 112 |
| Sets | 182 | 171 |
Bulgaria showed very good reception and defense — which is an indicator of stable back-row play and good game organization. The team's setters also demonstrated high tempo and a good feel for creating favorable attack situations.
Conclusion: close to victory, but there is still room for improvement
Statistics show that Bulgaria was an equal, and in certain elements — even a better team. The match was decided by the finest details — a few successful blocks, one serve, one more precise pass. Despite the loss, the performance inspires optimism for the future.
Bulgaria was one step away from a solid points gain in the world ranking, but the 2:3 loss to China brought only -0.01 points. This kept the team in 19th place and postponed the possibility of moving up. With a 3:2 win, our team would have gained +12.77 points. In the VNL standings, Bulgaria dropped to tenth position.
