Some of the Bulgarian volleyball players in the Italian Serie A2 had a tough round, marked by losses, but also by individual performances that deserve attention. Sorrento lost as a guest to Tinet Prata di Pordenone, and Consar Ravenna lost a tough clash in Abruzzo against Abba Pineto.
Defeat for Sorrento and Preslav Petkov
Tinet Prata di Pordenone " Romeo Sorrento 3:0 (25:20, 25:20, 25:17)
The hosts from Prata solidified their reputation as an extremely strong home team and left no real chances for newcomer Sorrento. The match unfolded with a similar scenario in all three sets, with Prata's serve and organized play making the difference.
Preslav Petkov played only in the first two sets. The national middle blocker finished the match with1 point, being targeted4 times in attack, which makes for25% success rate. After the second set, the Bulgarian remained on the bench, and Sorrento failed to find rhythm against the hosts' solid block.
Top scorers in the match:
For Prata ", Gamba with 20 points.
For Sorrento ", Pol with 11 points.
Ravenna fell in Abruzzo despite the strong Bulgarians
Abba Pineto ", Consar Ravenna 3:1 (25:23, 23:25, 25:23, 25:12)
Ravenna lost after four sets in an extremely intense and high-quality match. Three of the sets were decided by a minimal difference, but in the fourth, the hosts asserted their greater experience and better serving game. The loss left Ravenna in third place after the end of the first half of the season.
Statistics of the main scorers for Ravenna
| Player | Points | Plus/Minus stat | Blocks | Attack efficiency % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hristiyan Dimitrov | 13 | -2 | 3 | 56% |
| Samuil Valchinov | 16 | +9 | 2 | 58% |
| Manuel Zlatanov | 17 | +3 | 2 | 35% |
Despite the loss, the Bulgarian national players were among the most consistent figures for Ravenna. Samuil Valchinov played a very strong match, finishing with the best Plus/Minus stat on the team and excellent attack efficiency. Hristiyan Dimitrov contributed significantly at the net with 3 blocks and over 50% in attack, but the accumulated team errors in key moments weighed heavily. Manuel Zlatanov was Ravenna's top scorer, but with lower attack efficiency.
The Serie A2 round brought disappointments for some of the Bulgarians in terms of team results, but Valchinov's and Dimitrov's individual stats show that both are among Ravenna's leading figures. For Preslav Petkov, the task remains to fight for more playing time in the upcoming matches, while Sorrento prepares for its historic participation in the Italian Cup.
