Champion Maritsa Plovdiv took the first decisive step towards defending their title after dominating Levski with a 3:0 (25:20, 25:19, 25:21) victory in the opening match of the final series in the National Women's Volleyball League. The match in "Stroitel" Hall showcased the stability of the team, led by Ahmetcan Erşimşek, who now holds a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
The start of the match was even, but Levski's visitors took the initiative first, leading 10:7 and forcing the home team's staff to call a timeout. "The Blues" even extended their lead to 14:9, relying on solid defense and good organization. Gradually, however, Maritsa found their rhythm in attack and turned the score around to 15:14. An ace by Borislava Saykova provided an additional boost for 18:15, and by the end, the Plovdiv team did not relinquish control – 25:20.
In the second set, the scenario repeated itself – an even game until 11:11, after which Maritsa pressed with their serve. The serve, in particular, proved to be a key factor in building a lead, which reached 19:13. This decided the outcome of the set, which concluded 25:19 in favor of the home team.
The third set offered the most twists and turns. Maritsa started brilliantly with a 6:0 run, but Levski reacted and leveled the score at 7:7. "The Blues" even turned the score around to 13:10 and maintained their lead until 17:15. At the decisive moment, however, the champions demonstrated their class, recording a run of seven consecutive points for 22:17 and closing out the match at 25:21.
Iva Dudova stood out for Maritsa's victory with 22 points, Borislava Saykova added 11, and Vanessa Agbortabi finished with 10. The top scorer for "The Blues" was Elena Kolarova with 8 points (3 blocks). Mariya Zlatanova scored 7 points, while Slavina Koleva and Gabriela Zhekova each added 6.
The second clash of the final series is scheduled for April 24 at 17:30 in "Levski Sofia" Hall, where the capital's team will seek to equalize the series.