Maritsa Plovdiv's participation in the Champions League ended after the group stage, but the individual contribution of opposite hitter Iva Dudova remained one of the brightest elements of the Bulgarian performance. Her statistics — both within the group stage and in the overall ranking for the entire tournament (including qualifications) — show consistency, workload, and effectiveness, which explain why she is already under observation by strong European championships.
Statistics — all phases (qualifications + groups)
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Matches played (all phases) | 8 |
| Sets played | 30 |
| Total Points | 162 |
| Average Points Per Set | 5,4 |
| Position | 2nd place in the "Best Scorer" ranking (all phases) |
These data show the accumulation throughout Maritsa's entire European journey
— two matches in the qualifications and six in the groups. With 162 points, Dudova finishes as the second-highest scoring player in the tournament at the time of the team's elimination, which speaks both to her high quality and to the significant role she carried in the team.
Statistics — group stage only
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Matches Played (groups) | 6 |
| Sets played | 24 |
| Total Points | 131 |
| Average Points Per Set | 5,46 |
| Position | 2nd place in the "Best Scorer" ranking (group stage) |
In the group stage alone, Dudova remained among the most effective scorers ", 131 points in six matches. This confirms that her role was not limited to the qualifications but was also crucial in the matches against the European elite in the groups.
Serve (ranking by aces ", all phases)
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Matches played (all phases) | 8 |
| Sets played | 30 |
| Aces | 9 |
| Position | Top 10 by aces (in the tournament) |
Her presence in the Top 10 for aces highlights that Dudova was not only a scorer but also a direct factor from the serve ", a weapon that makes a difference against strong opponents and complicates the tactical plans of the adversary.
Role in the team and key moments
Iva Dudova was Maritsa's main offensive weapon ", almost every second attack or decisive situation went through her. In one of the team's most memorable matches ", Levallois Paris Saint Cloud – Maritza PLOVDIV 3:2(26:24,22:25,17:25,25:22,15:9) ", Dudova scored 32 points, proving she could carry the weight of decisive matches. Besides her scoring ability, she also contributed with quality serves, which is reflected in the ace statistics.
Maritsa started its participation from the qualification rounds, which increased the load on the players ", two qualification matches + six group matches = a total of 8 matches for Dudova in the tournament. Despite the team's elimination, her individual indicators (high ranking in scorer classifications and good placement in the ace category) show that she is ready to take a step forward in her career and play regularly at a higher level.
Preliminary information about interest from Turkey ", logical and expected
According to currently unconfirmed information, Iva Dudova has attracted the attention of a club in the Turkish league. This is entirely logical: the Turkish championship is one of the strongest for women ", it offers strong competition, frequent participation in European tournaments, and better financial conditions. Given her performance ", second place in the scorer rankings (and a stable presence in the Top 10 for aces) ", it is natural for her to be "noticed" by teams looking for proven scorers and players with experience in the European circuit. We emphasize that this is unconfirmed information; we await an official announcement from the club or the player herself.
Iva Dudova leaves the Champions League with a positive personal balance: a high rank in the scorer classifications, solid indicators in the groups, and a visible contribution from serve and in defense. Even with Maritsa's elimination, her numbers and behavior in key moments suggest that a natural step towards a more competitive environment is ahead ", and this is likely what stands behind the interest from the Turkish league. The editorial team will monitor developments and update the material upon the appearance of official confirmations.
