Lokomotiv-Avia (Plovdiv) became the first semifinalist in the men's Bulgarian Cup tournament after defeating Montana by3:0 (27:25, 25:17, 25:17)in the first quarter-final of the competition, which is held in "SamElion" Hall in Samokov. Nayden Naydenov's team solidified its leading position in the volleyball elite and, as expected, finished the match in three sets.
With this success, the Plovdiv team advances to the semifinals, where they will meet the winner of the pairNeftochimic – Beroe.
The first set proved crucial for the psychology of the match. Montana started extremely motivated and led almost throughout – 8:6, 16:13, and 21:20. In the decisive phase, the northwesterners even had a 23:22 lead, but failed to maintain stability. Lokomotiv equalized, took a 24:23 lead, and after a saved set point by Montana, the experience of the Plovdiv team prevailed. An attack error by Montana and a subsequent block brought them a 27:25 victory.
In the second set, Lokomotiv imposed its style from the very beginning. The Plovdiv team took the initiative in the first rallies, showed no hesitation, and closed the set convincingly with 25:17.
The third set was even only until the 9th point. After a series of three consecutive points, Lokomotiv took a 12:9 lead, and subsequently extended the difference to 18:13. This proved to be the turning point, after which Montana could not get back into the set and the match concluded with 25:17.
Team statistics
| Indicator | Lokomotiv-Avia | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Attack points | 38 | 29 |
| Serves (aces) | 4 | 1 |
| Blocks | 11 | 9 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 24 | 20 |
The statistics clearly highlight Lokomotiv's superiority in direct attack points and serves. A nine-point difference in attack and a more effective serve seriously eased the task for the Plovdiv team, especially in the second and third sets. Blocking was also an important factor, with 11 points from this element often stopping Montana's first attack. For their part, Montana committed too many errors at key moments, especially on serve, which cost them their chances in the first set.
Individual highlights
The best performer for Lokomotiv-Avia was opposite hitter Julian Georgiev, who finished with 15 points, +8 efficiency, 1 block, and 54% attack success rate. Kristiyan Aleksov added 14 points, +3 efficiency, 2 aces, 3 blocks, and 36% in attack. Captain Todor Valchev and middle blocker Ivaylo Damyanov contributed 9 points each to the straight-set victory.
For Montana, led by Daniel Peev, not a single player crossed the 10-point mark. Kristiyan Valchak and Bruno Rubo scored 9 points each, but this was not enough to counter Lokomotiv's more organized and stable play.
The Plovdiv team took another confident step towards the trophy and, with an eye on the semi-final, confirmed their ambitions for the Bulgarian Cup.
The tournament is also being observed by national team coach Gianlorenzo Blengini.
Photos: Nikolay Varadinov
