Montenegrin volleyball players can achieve great things! Jovo Caković's young team practically caused a sensation, defeating the 11th-ranked team in the European rankings, Romania, 3:1 (25:21, 25:23, 22:25, 25:20) and with both victories at the European League tournament in Blaž, they return to their base in Bar.
Our team's feat was achieved with as many as 10 players from the Montenegrin championship and with excellent play by the entire lineup, against the participants of the upcoming Eurovolleyball and the third-place winner of the previous edition of the Golden League.
Montenegro's game was characterized by composure, excellent service and a diverse attack, and especially important was the great response in the fourth set to the missed chance to achieve maximum victory in the Alba Blaž Hall.
In the first two sets, Melisa Cenović and her teammates chased the powerful host team to the finish line, when they made the difference. They first took a 22:21 lead in the opening set, when they went on a 5:0 run and dominantly concluded the set for an initial lead of 25:21.
A similar development of the situation in the second set, in which Romania led by a maximum of +6, the last time 13:7. Montenegro tied the game at 14:14 on Simona Petranović's serve, the block worked perfectly, and for the first time they led 20:19. However, it was not easy, Romania returned to +2, but with a series of aces by Nađa Peković and Simona Petranović, our national team reached a big 2:0.
Saška Đurović and the team had a psychological advantage, using a similar principle to the turnaround, they sought maximum victory, our girls reached 18:16 with a 3:0 series, but then Romania improved their attack and extended the match to 25:22.
That's when the mental strength of Caković's team came to the fore, as they controlled the court throughout the entire fourth set. The block was perfect, the serve was at a high level, and it was only a matter of the difference at the end of the set – the maximum was +5, as it was at the end, 25:20.
Simona Petranović was the most efficient with 20 points, Dijana Vuković scored 19, the phenomenal Saška Đurović scored 16 points, seven of which were blocks. Mina Dragović finished the match with eight, one point more than Teodora Čavić, and 16-year-old technician Nađa Peković, with a great game, scored three points. For Romania, captain Adelina Budai-Ungureanu and Sorina Miklaus each had 17 points.
It was Montenegro's third win in a row, after triumphing over Georgia 3:1 and Albania 3:0, and losing to Slovenia in Bar, and the next stop is Pristina where they will play Kosovo and Hungary in the final tournament of the Europa League.
MONTENEGRO – ROMANIA 3:1 (25:21, 25:23, 22:25, 25:20)
Blaz – “Polivalenta Alba Blaž”. Spectators: 400. Judges: Nikolaos Fragakis (Greece) and Ljubomir Sirakov (Bulgaria).
Montenegro: Đurović 16, Cenović (libero), Šušić, Čavić 7, Jovović, Peković 3, Vuković 19, Petranović 20, Veličković (libero), Vukčević, Rakočević, Popović, Koprivica, Dragović 8.
Coach: Jovo Caković.
Romania: Ariton 8, Veres (liberal), Radu, Zadorozhnai 6, Grama, Aksinte 6, Joneski, Miklas 17, Kojocar (liberal), Budai-Ungurean 17, Popa, Stranczynescu 5, Ottet, Ćimpu 11.
Coach: Guillermo Hernandez.
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