The first round of the Romanian Women's A1 Division for the 2025/26 season offered an intriguing start - not only as a Supercup rematch but also as a "Bulgarian" derby. On the court in Ilfov, Kristina Guncheva (CSO Voluntari) and Daria Ivanova (Volei Alba Blaj) faced each other. The match was a true marathon, ending with a 3:2 victory for Voluntari after two hours and four minutes of top-level volleyball.
📊 Score and Statistics
| Team | Score | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| CSO Voluntari | 3 | 14-25, 25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7 |
| CSM Volei Alba Blaj | 2 |
🔵 Kristina Guncheva (CSO Voluntari)
Bulgarian setter Kristina Guncheva was once again part of the Voluntari squad, led by Giovanni Caprara.
Guncheva is a key element in Voluntari's game construction, and they confirmed their title ambitions with this success over the reigning champions.
🔴 Daria Ivanova (Volei Alba Blaj)
In the Alba Blaj squad, Daria Ivanova recorded 6 points with an efficiency of +1, once again demonstrating a stable level in attack and reception. She was part of the team's starting six, led by Guillermo Naranjo Hernández (head coach of the Romanian women's national team), and made an active contribution in the first four sets when Blaj managed to keep the intrigue alive.
📈 Leading Scorers in the Match
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Van de Voos | CSO Voluntari | 28 |
| Piani | Volei Alba Blaj | 21 |
| Trcol | Volei Alba Blaj | 16 |
| Radosova | CSO Voluntari | 13 |
The decisive difference came from Voluntari's higher attacking efficiency, led by the Belgian Van de Voorde, who scored an impressive 28 points (26 from attack). With a similar number of sets, Blaj's opposite — Piani — finished with 16 points from attack, which proved crucial in the tie-break.
🗓 Results from the first round of Division A1 (women)
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Rapid – Dinamo | 1-3 (18-25, 25-23, 15-25, 13-25) |
| Corona Brașov – CSM Constanța | 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-22) |
| Medicina Târgu Mureș – "U" Cluj | 3-1 (25-18, 25-20, 22-25, 25-16) |
| CSM Lugoj – CSM București | 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-19) |
| CSO Voluntari – Volei Alba Blaj | 3-2 (14-25, 25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7) |
The first clash between Guncheva and Ivanova in the Romanian championship brought not only sporting intrigue but also further proof that Bulgarian volleyball players are a factor in foreign championships — whether as scorers or as intelligent game setters like Guncheva.
