Aluron CMC Warta (Zawiercie) achieved a decisive away victory against Bogdanka LUK (Lublin) with a 3:0 (25:19, 25:16, 25:16) score in the round's derby in the Polish PlusLiga. Michal Winiarski's team demonstrated complete superiority and solidified their excellent streak of 11 consecutive wins in the championship.
The clash pitted two of the best teams in the championship against each other. The hosts entered the match after four consecutive league wins and two more in the Champions League, while Aluron arrived in Lublin with a six-match winning streak. However, expectations for an evenly matched encounter were not met.
Before the start of the match, Mikołaj Sawicki was welcomed in the hall. Bogdanka's outside hitter reappeared in the squad after a 9-month suspension for violating anti-doping rules. The club used the occasion to officially announce that they had extended his contract until the 2027 season.
Already in the first set, the visitors showed they were the better team on this Friday the 13th. Stable blocking and effective attacking gave Aluron a lead that gradually grew to 25:19.
In the second set, the start was relatively even, but after the middle of the set, Michal Winiarski's players reasserted control. With excellent blocking organization and stable serving, they held the hosts to just 16 points – 25:16.
The scenario repeated in the third set. Bogdanka failed to find solutions against the opponent's well-organized defense, and the match concluded with another 25:16 score and a final 3:0.
Unlike many other matches, Aluron's victory was achieved with an excellent distribution of points among the main scorers.
Aaron Russell finished as the top scorer with 15 points, Kyle Ensing added 13, while Bartosz Kwolek and Mateusz Bieniek each scored 11 points.
Bulgarian international Alex Grozdanov contributed 6 points, a +5 efficiency rating, 2 blocks, and 50% attack efficiency. None of the hosts exceeded the 10-point mark. It's worth noting that Bogdanka's star Wilfredo León practically didn't play a full match, entering as a double substitution several times and scoring one ace.
With this victory, Aluron CMC Warta now has 59 points after 25 matches and increased their lead at the top of the PlusLiga. Second-placed Projekt Warszawa has 48 points, while Bogdanka remains third with one point less.
photo: plusliga.pl
