Another very strong match from Asparuh Asparuhov, but Slepsk Malow Suwalki missed a golden chance to defeat the leader - Slepsk Malow Suwalki – Projekt Warszawa 2:3 (25:20, 20:25, 25:20, 21:25, 10:15). The hosts took the lead twice and pressured Warszawa with their serve, but in the decisive moments, Projekt Warszawa survived thanks to their block and snatched the victory after a tie-break.
Warszawa arrived weakened, without Kevin Tillie, and started hesitantly. Slepsk took advantage and won the first set after a strong serving run by Filipiak.
After that, the visitors reacted – Bednorz took charge of the attack, and a huge change was brought by substitute Brandon Koppers, who came in and turned Projekt's rhythm around.
The third set was again for the hosts – Jankiewicz and Nowakowski served aces, and Warszawa started making mistakes.
In the fourth and fifth sets, however, the leader imposed its strongest weapon – the block, and in the tie-break, pulled ahead early with 7:2, which decided everything.
Asparuhov productive for Slepsk
The Bulgarian international was among the best on the court:
18 points
+10 positive balance
52% positive reception
50% in attack (34% efficiency)
2 blocks
8 balls saved in defense
Scorers
| Slepsk Malow | Points |
|---|---|
| Bartosz Filipiak | 18 |
| Asparuh Asparuhov | 18 |
| Enrique Honorato | 14 |
| Jan Nowakowski | 13 |
| Gallego | 11 |
Ślepsk had four players with double-digit scores, and Asparuhov was once again a leader in key moments. The problem was that in the tie-break, the home team's attack lost effectiveness against Warsaw's high block.
| Projekt Warsaw | Points |
|---|---|
| Bartosz Bednorz | 20 |
| Brandon Koppers | 15 |
| Semeniuk | 13 |
| Jakub Klos | 10 |
Bednorz was the main figure in attack, but the key player turned out to be Koppers, who came off the bench and provided crucial stability. Warsaw showed a deeper bench and more class in the end.
Team Statistics
| Metric | Ślepsk | Projekt Warsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 9 | 13 |
| Attack | 50% | 55% |
| Serve (Aces) | 10 | 7 |
The difference came from the net – 13 blocks for Warsaw, which broke Ślepsk in the tie-break. The home team had an advantage in serving (10 aces), but Projekt was more effective in attack and more stable in the decisive rallies.
MVP: Brandon Koppers
The American was deservedly chosen as the most valuable, as he changed the game after entering and helped Warsaw achieve a comeback.
photo: plusliga.pl
