Maritsa (Plovdiv) recorded their first point in the group stage of the Women's Volleyball Champions League, offering a high level of play and a dramatic match against German side SSC Palmberg Schwerin. The Bulgarian champions lost after a five-set marathon with a score of 2:3 (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 in the tournament.
After the first two rounds, Ahmetcan Erşimşek's girls occupy third position in the standings with one point, while the German team achieved their second consecutive victory after their 3:1 success over French side Levallois Paris Saint Cloud in the opening round.
The start of the match saw the guests take an advantage, leading 6:2, but Maritsa gradually found their rhythm and narrowed the deficit to 9:10 after an effective middle attack by Borislava Saykova. Another strong spell from Schwerin followed, leading to a 20:15 lead and a timeout called by Erşimşek. The Plovdiv team managed to close the gap to 20:23, but the German team maintained their lead and won the first set 25:21.
The second set began with much more aggressive play from Maritsa, who took a 9:5 lead after strong serves by Iva Dudova. Schwerin managed to equalize at 10:10, and after that, the match developed point for point until 22:22. An ace by Margarita Guncheva made the score 23:22, forcing Felix Kozlowski to call a timeout. Vanessa Agbortabi followed with a block, which 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 ahead by three points at the start, but Schwerin quickly caught up, and the set developed under the dictation of fluctuating dominance. At 21:21, two consecutive out-of-bounds attacks by Mia Kirchhoff and Leana Grozer gave Maritsa an important lead. Agbortabi's cool play at the end secured another 25:22 and a lead in the match.
The fourth set began with defensive dominance from Schwerin, who built a 12:4 lead, extended to 19:10. Maritsa showed character, reduced the deficit, and even saved four set points, but the German team closed the set 25:20 to send the match to a tie-break.
The decisive set developed into an even battle until 7:7. Schwerin scored two consecutive points, which led to another timeout from Erşimşek. The Plovdiv team reacted immediately and equalized to 9:9, but the Germans once again took the initiative, reached 12:10, and maintained their lead for the final 15:12.
Match statistics
| Statistics | Maritsa (Plovdiv) | Schwerin |
|---|---|---|
| Attacks won | 58 | 57 |
| Blocks | 11 | 11 |
| Aces | 5 | 4 |
| Opponent errors | 26 | 33 |
| Total points | 100 | 105 |
Maritsa outperformed Schwerin in attack and serving, 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 an even net duel. The five-point difference in the final score was mainly due to the German team's better management of the situation in the final moments.
Top four scorers for Maritsa:
| Player | Points |
|---|---|
| Iva Dudova (#20) | 20 |
| Vanessa Agbortabi (#4) | 18 |
| Borislava Saikova (#14) | 15 |
| Viktoriya Koeva (#10) | 13 |
The ranking confirms Maritsa's key scorers in this match.
Iva Dudova has 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 show high effectiveness in the center, while 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) |
|---|---|
| Leana Grozer (#9) | 15 |
| Britta Stuut (#8) | 12 |
| Anna Artishuk (#19) | 11 |
| Marije ten Brinke (#4) | 11 |
Schwerin's team relies on a much more distributed scoring compared to Maritsa. Leana 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 Artishuk 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 actions. Maritsa proves that it can contend with a top-level 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.
