Alex Grozdanov and Bogdanka LUK (Lublin) missed their first opportunity to close out the final series in the Polish PlusLiga, after losing at home to Aluron CMC Warta (Zawiercie) 1:3 (26:24, 20:25, 23:25, 20:25) in the fourth match of the title battle. Thus, the series was tied at 2-2 wins, and the Polish champion will be determined in a decisive fifth match in Sosnowiec.

In the packed "Globus" hall in Lublin, the atmosphere was heated from the very first rallies. Stefan Antiga's hosts were one step away from defending their title, but Micha\u0142 Winiarski's team showed character and brought the intrigue back to the final.
The first set was extremely even, with both teams struggling to build a lead. Zawiercie's volleyball players took a three-point lead after a counter-attack by Bartosz Boladz for 20:17, but Wilfredo Leon's strong serve brought Lublin back into the game. In a dramatic finish, the hosts snatched the set 26:24 after a successful block by Fynnian McCarthy.
In the second set, Lublin controlled the score with a minimal lead for a long time, but Zawiercie gradually found its rhythm. The guests took the lead for the first time at 18:17, and the experienced Yurii Gladyr took the initiative in key moments. The "Jurassic Knights" convincingly closed the set at 25:20 and leveled the score.
The third set turned into a true battle of nerves. Bogdanka started excellently and built a solid lead of 14:8, seemingly close to victory. However, Winiarski's players made an impressive comeback. After a series of strong serves and an ace by Mateusz Bieniek, the difference was quickly erased, and at 17:17, both teams started from scratch again. In the end, the guests were more stable and won 25:23 after an attack by Aaron Russell.
After the psychological comeback, Zawiercie dominated the fourth set as well. Aaron Russell was the team's leader, and the guests' defense and blocking seriously hampered Lublin's play. Gradually, the hosts lost their rhythm, and Warta confidently closed the match after 25:20.
Alex Grozdanov finished with 6 points, recording 1 block and 50% attack efficiency. The top scorer for the winners was Bartosz Boladz with 22 points, and Aaron Russell added 16. For Lublin, Wilfredo Leon scored 25 points. The MVP of the match was Bartosz Boladz.

photos: Nikolay Varadinov