The Bulgarian women's national U18 team qualified for the European Championship after recording a third consecutive victory in the second qualifying tournament. Atanas Petrov's team defeated Greece 3:0 (27:25, 25:20, 25:18) in the "Hristo Botev" hall and deservedly secured a spot in the finals in Latvia and Lithuania.
After victories over Romania with 3:1 (25:16, 20:25, 25:20, 25:11) and Sweden, the Bulgarian women went into a direct clash for first place against the equally undefeated Greek team. As expected, the match offered a serious battle, especially at the start.
The first set started difficult for our team, who were playing catch-up. The Greek players dictated the pace and even had opportunities to close the set. However, Bulgaria showed character – strong serving and more effective attacking brought the score level, and in the dramatic extensions, our players endured mentally and snatched the set 27:25.
This comeback gave momentum to our squad, and in the second set, their play was much more confident. After an even start, Bulgaria exerted pressure from the serve, with a series from Naneva proving crucial for a 15:12 lead. Greece equalized at 15:15, but in the decisive moments, our players were more precise. A series of attacking errors from the opponent and a stable block tilted the scales, and an ace at the end made it 25:20 and a 2:0 lead.
In the third set, Bulgaria already controlled the events on the court. An early service break and stable attacking play secured a comfortable lead. Veneva, Todorova, and Naneva were key to the points, while the block and serve further troubled the opponent. At 21:17, our team finally broke Greece's resistance, and Todorova ended the match with an attack from zone 4 for 25:18.
| Team | Points | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | 63 | 0 | 75 min. |
| Bulgaria | 77 | 3 |
The difference in the total number of points (77:63) clearly highlights Bulgaria's superiority, especially after the first set, when our team took control of the match.
Team statistics
| Statistic | Bulgaria | Greece |
|---|---|---|
| Block | 7 | 3 |
| Attack (%) | 40% | 35% |
| Attack points | 43 | 38 |
| Positive reception | 34% | 42% |
| Aces | 10 | 5 |
| Service errors | 5 | 6 |
| Points from opponent errors | 17 | 17 |
The statistics clearly show where Bulgaria won the match "," superiority in block (7:3) and especially from service (10 aces against 5). Better attack efficiency (40% against 35%) was also crucial, although Greece had better positive reception. The equality in points from opponent errors shows that Bulgaria's aggression in direct elements was decisive.
Individually, Darina Naneva stood out with 18 points (+15), scoring 3 aces and 2 blocks with excellent 46% attack efficiency. Ena Todorova added 15 points, and Kalina Veneva contributed 13, forming a strong attacking trio.
With this success, Bulgaria finished the tournament with three wins from three matches and decisively secured their spot at the European Championship. Atanas Petrov's team showed growth during the qualifications, with serving and stability in crucial moments proving to be key factors.
The qualification is well-deserved and provides serious grounds for optimism before the championship in Latvia and Lithuania.
photos: Nikolay Varadinov
