The Bulgarian women's national team finished its participation in the World Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima (Thailand) without a single victory. In the last match of Group E, Tony Zhetova's team lost to Spain with 1:3 (22-25, 14-25, 25-22, 18-25) and leaves the competition with 0 points and only two won sets.
Match flow
The Bulgarians started hesitantly and allowed the Spanish to dictate the pace from the very first set, won with 25:22. The second set was catastrophic for our team (14:25), while in the third, the girls showed some signs of character, improved their defense, and managed to reduce the deficit with 25:22.
Instead of an uplift, the fourth set again showed weaknesses – after an even start (9:9) and 12:16, a collapse followed. The Spanish tightened their serve, and our team found no answer. Match point came after a block-out off Kitipova's fingers, and the last point came after a skillful play by her 46-year-old colleague Patricia Muñoz, the oldest participant in the championship.
Standings and consequences
After the defeat, Bulgaria remains without a victory and without a point – 0 wins, 2 sets active, 3 losses, and last place in the group. The blow to the world ranking is also severe – falling to 25th place after losing a total of 12 points. The Spanish, on the contrary, climbed to 30th position.
Match statistics
| Indicator | Bulgaria | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | 46 | 50 |
| Block | 11 | 13 |
| Serve | 2 | 11 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 20 | 23 |
| Total points | 79 | 97 |
Spain clearly outperformed on serve (11 aces versus only 2 for Bulgaria) – a key factor in the match. In attack, the difference is small (50:46), but with similar metrics, the serve and block tilted the scales.
Team elements
| Element | Bulgaria | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive digs | 79 | 93 |
| Reception | 85 | 65 |
| Setting (sets) | 142 | 131 |
The Bulgarians were more stable in reception (85 against 65), but this was not utilized in attack. The Spanish compensated with better defense and more digs (93 against 79), which allowed them to extend rallies and turn difficult situations around.
Top scorers
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Segura (#33) | Spain | 17 |
| Nasya Dimitrova (#2) | Bulgaria | 12 |
| Paskova (#66) | Bulgaria | 15 |
| Varela (#12) | Spain | 16 |
Paskova was the leader for Bulgaria with 15 points, followed by Nasya Dimitrova with 12. For Spain, Segura (17) and Varela (16) were undisputed leaders and the driving force of the attack. The difference in effectiveness and variety of attack tipped the match in favor of Spain.
At this World Championship, Bulgaria showed two faces, that they have talent and potential, but lack organization, confidence, and consistency. If things continue this way, the risk is that our women's volleyball will sink even deeper in the rankings.
