The Bulgarian national U18 girls' team is just one win away from qualifying for the European Championship. In their second match of the qualification tournament in Hristo Botev Hall, Atanas Petrov's squad defeated Romania 3:1 (25:16, 20:25, 25:20, 25:11), confirming their strong performance after the success against Sweden a day earlier.
Thus, everything will be decided in a direct clash against Greece on Sunday at 17:30. Both teams have two wins so far, and even with a potential defeat, the Bulgarian girls retain serious chances to advance as one of the best second-placed teams.
Strong start and control in the first set
Bulgaria started confidently and set the rhythm from the very first rallies. A series of serves and good defensive organization allowed for an early 5:1 lead. Until the end of the set, our team maintained a stable side-out and showed no hesitation, closing the part at 25:16.
Hesitation and Romania's comeback
In the second set, the Romanians raised their level, especially in attack from the wings. After an initial 6:3 lead for Bulgaria, a turnaround followed, and the opponent took the initiative. Our team experienced difficulties in reception, which limited attack variability. Despite an attempt for a run in the middle of the set, the difference remained, and Romania equalized after 25:20.
Reaction and character in the third set
The Bulgarian team responded in the best possible way. Strong serving and organized block-defense led to an 8:2 lead. Although the Romanians shortened the distance, a series of stable diagonal attacks restored control. In the final rallies, our team allowed no surprises and took a 2:1 lead after 25:20.
Decisive finish
The fourth set passed under complete Bulgarian domination. With Kalina Veneva serving, a run of seven consecutive points was achieved, practically deciding the outcome. The lead quickly became double-digit, and the opponent lost organization both in attack and defense. The Bulgarian girls convincingly closed the match at 25:11.
Individual performance
| Player | Points | Plus/Minus | Aces | Reception | Attack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalina Veneva | 23 | +21 | 5 | 53% positive | 60% |
| Ena Todorova | 20 | - | - | - | - |
| Darina Naneva | 14 | - | - | - | - |
| Adriana Aleksieva | 10 | - | - | - | - |
| Gabriela Bianca (Romania) | 16 | - | - | - | - |
Kalina Veneva's performance was at an exceptionally high level – not only as a scorer, but also as a versatile player. Her five aces and high attack efficiency showed serious dominance on the wings. Support from Edna Todorova and Darina Naneva guaranteed constant pressure on the Romanian defense, while Aleksieva contributed to the balance in the distribution of attacks. For the opponent, the main burden fell on Gabriela Bianca, but her 16 points were not enough to compensate for the difference in collective performance.
A look at the decisive match
The victory puts Bulgaria in an excellent position before the clash with Greece. The team demonstrated stability in attack and effectiveness in serving, with maintaining concentration in individual sets being key. If they repeat the level from the first and fourth sets, the chances for direct qualification seem entirely realistic.
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