Bulgaria recorded its third victory in the VNL 2025 tournament, which was not easy at all.The match against Thailand was a true test for our national team, with the crucial moment coming in the third set when the Bulgarian women were leading convincingly, but a technical timeout of almost 10 minutes changed the course of the match.
In the third set, Bulgaria took a 12:6 lead after excellent play and two aces from Nasya Dimitrova. Then followed a long break ", a technical timeout ", which seemed to throw the team off rhythm and allowed Thailand to recover. After the resumption, the opponent began to catch up, and the Bulgarian volleyball players experienced difficulties in defense and attack. Thailand managed to turn the score around and win the set 25:21, completely changing the situation in the match.
First set:
Bulgaria started confidently, taking leads of 6:4 and 9:7, with Elitsa Atanasijevic successfully breaking through the block for 13:9. Thailand managed to equalize at 13:13, but our girls remained calm and took the lead again. After a tie at 23:23, the national team reached set point after a strong block by Lora Kitipova. In the decisive moments, Bulgaria showed excellent defense and won the set 26:24.
Second set:
Bulgaria started strong and dominated throughout ", 3:0, 11:5, and finally 24:12. Excellent communication and blocks made it difficult for Thailand, with our players demonstrating quick and accurate attacks. Aces from Nasya Dimitrova and powerful offensive combinations contributed to the convincing 25:13 victory.
Third set:
Bulgaria started with a 12:6 lead after two aces from Nasya Dimitrova, but an almost 10-minute technical timeout followed. This interruption broke the rhythm of our national team, and Thailand quickly began to catch up. After the resumption, the Thai team equalized and took a 20:17 lead, and the set ended 25:21 in their favor.
Fourth set:
Thailand took a 12:9 lead after long rallies and strong defense. Bulgaria tried to catch up, but the Asians maintained a stable lead until the end. Despite good blocking and attacks from our side, Thailand won 25:22 and tied the match.
Fifth set (tie-break):
The beginning of the tie-break was even until 6:5 in favor of Bulgaria. Then the national team took the initiative with powerful attacks from Elitsa Atanasijevic and Nasya Dimitrova. Bulgaria quickly built up a lead and won the set 15:9, closing the match with an overall score of 3:2.
Bulgaria ", Thailand 3:2 (26:24, 25:13, 21:25, 22:25, 15:9)
Match statistics Bulgaria ", Thailand:
| Metric | Bulgaria | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Attacks | 68 | 69 |
| Blocks | 12 | 4 |
| Ace serves | 4 | 4 |
| Opponent errors | 25 | 19 |
| Total points | 109 | 96 |
Key skills:
| Skills | Bulgaria | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Digs | 100 | 99 |
| Reception | 84 | 100 |
| Sets | 146 | 169 |
Top scorers:
| Player | Points |
|---|---|
| Elitsa Atanasijevic (Bulgaria) | 19 |
| Nasya Dimitrova (Bulgaria) | 18 |
| S. Warisara (Thailand) | 15 |
| J. Sasipapron (Thailand) | 11 |
Bulgaria individual statistics:
| Number | Player name | Position | Total points | Attack points | Block points | Service points | Errors | Efficiency (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Elitsa Atanasijevic (captain) | Outside Hitter | 19 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14.06 |
| 2 | Nasya Dimitrova | Middle Blocker | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9.09 |
| 11 | Hristina Vuchkova | Middle Blocker | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 18.52 |
| 17 | Radostina Marinova | Opposite hitter | 16 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 16.67 |
| 19 | Aleksandra Milanova | Outside Hitter | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11.76 |
| 7 | Lora Kitipova | Setter | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -12.50 |
| 1 | Stanimira Stanchulova | Outside Hitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -25.00 |
| 3 | Maya Slavcheva | Setter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 4 | Petya Krivoshiyska | Middle Blocker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 21 | Emiliya Karabasheva | Libero | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Statistical data shows that the match was very competitive, with Bulgaria and Thailand being almost equal in terms of attacks – 68 to 69. However, the Bulgarian volleyball players dominated in blocking with 12 points against only 4 for the Thais, which was a key factor for their success in decisive moments.
Despite an equal number of aces (4 to 4), the Bulgarian team managed to force more errors from the opponent – 25 against 19, which contributed to their victory. In reception skills, Thailand excelled with 100 against 84, but this was not enough for them, as the Bulgarian players demonstrated better organization and precision in attack and blocking.
The most effective players for Bulgaria were Elitsa Atanasijevic and Nasya Dimitrova, who led the team to victory with 19 and 18 points respectively.
For Thailand, S. Warisara and J. Sasipapron stood out with 15 and 11 points, but it was not enough.
Overall, the key to Bulgaria's success was strong blocking and the ability to capitalize on opponent's errors, as well as maintaining concentration in critical moments after the long interruption in the third set.
With this victory, Bulgaria ranks 11th in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) and establishes itself in 20th position in the world rankings.
photos:volleyballworld.com
