Maritsa (Plovdiv) recorded their first point in the group stage of the Women's Volleyball Champions League, after offering a high level of play and a dramatic match against the GermanSSC Palmberg Schwerin. The Bulgarian champion lost after a five-set marathon with2:3 (21:25, 25:22, 25:22, 20:25, 12:15)in front of their home crowd at "Kolodruma" in their second match of Group E of the tournament.
After the first two rounds, Ahmetcan Erşimşek's girls occupy the third position in the standings with one point, while the German team achieved a second consecutive victory after their success with3:1over French Levallois Paris Saint-Cloud in the opening round.
The beginning of the match was an advantage for the guests, who took the lead with6:2, but Maritsa gradually found their rhythm and reduced the deficit to9:10after an effective attack through the center by Borislava Saikova. This was followed by another strong surge from Schwerin, which led to a lead20:15and a timeout requested by Erşimşek. The Plovdiv women managed to get closer to20:23, but the German team maintained their lead and won the first set with25:21.
The second set started with much more aggressive play from Maritsa, who took the lead with9:5after strong serves by Iva Dudova. Schwerin managed to equalize at10:10, and then the match progressed point for point until22:22. An ace by Margarita Guncheva made the score23:22, forcing Felix Kozlowski to call a timeout. Vanessa Agbortabi followed with a block that brought two set points, and the very first one was converted by her again –25:22.
The third set offered the same parity. Maritsa pulled three points ahead at the start, but Schwerin quickly caught up and the set developed under the dictation of fluctuating dominance. At21:21two consecutive attacks out of bounds by Mia Kirchhof and Leana Grozer gave Maritsa an important lead. Agbortabi's calm play at the end secured a new25:22and a lead in the match.
The fourth game started with defensive dominance from Schwerin, who built a lead12:4, increased to19:10. Maritsa showed character, narrowed the gap and even saved four set points, but the German team closed the set with25:20, to send the match into a tie-break.
The decisive game developed into an even battle until7:7. Schwerin scored two consecutive points, which led to another timeout from Ershymshik. The Plovdiv team reacted immediately and equalized to9:9, but the Germans again took the initiative, reached12:10and maintained their lead for the final15:12.
Match statistics
| Statistics | Maritsa (Plovdiv) | Schwerin |
|---|---|---|
| Won attacks | 58 | 57 |
| Blocks | 11 | 11 |
| Aces | 5 | 4 |
| Opponent errors | 26 | 33 |
| Total points | 100 | 105 |
Maritsa surpassed Schwerin in attack and serve, while the German team compensated with more points in key rallies and fewer unforced errors. Interestingly, both teams had an equal number of blocks – proof of a balanced net duel. The five-point difference in the end was mainly due to the German team's better management of the situation in the final moments.
The four top scorers for Maritsa
| Player | Points |
|---|---|
| Iva Dudova (No. 20) | 20 |
| Vanessa Agbortabi (No. 4) | 18 |
| Borislava Saikova (No. 14) | 15 |
| Victoria Koeva (No. 10) | 13 |
The ranking confirms Maritsa's key scorers in this match.
Iva Dudova showed the highest productivity – a total of 20 points, placing her as the main engine in attack. Agbortabi, traditionally stable in offense, ranks immediately after her with 18 points and the highest percentage of successful attacks among the attackers. Saikova continues to demonstrate high efficiency in the middle, and Koeva contributes not only with points but also with high activity in attack and serve.
The four top scorers for SSC Palmberg Schwerin
| Player | Points (Tot) |
|---|---|
| Leanah Grozer (No. 9) | 15 |
| Brechtje Stuut (No. 8) | 12 |
| Anna Artyshuk (No. 19) | 11 |
| Marije ten Brinke (No. 4) | 11 |
Schwerin's team relies on a much more distributed scoring compared to Maritsa. Leanah Grozer is the clear leader in attack with 15 points, with her contribution being significant in both offense and block. She is followed by Stuut with 12 points and a stable performance in all elements, as well as Artyshuk and ten Brinke with 11 points each – both demonstrating high attack efficiency and active participation in blocking.
The match in Plovdiv was a classic European five-set duel – high intensity, emotions, comebacks, and many strong individual performances. Maritsa proves that it can compete against a top-tier team from Germany, and their play in attack and serve deserves special attention. This defeat is painful, but also indicative of the team's potential in international matches.
