PlusLiga 2024-2025

Can Projekt stop BOGDANKA’s impetus in Poland?

Watch the ninth leg in the PlusLiga live on VBTV

Published 06:57, 25 Oct 2024

Projekt on the block (photo: Piotr Iwanczyk / plusliga.pl)

Projekt on the block (photo: Piotr Iwanczyk / plusliga.pl)

A full ninth leg of eight matches is set to spread PlusLiga fever over five consecutive days (Friday to Tuesday) in Poland, but undoubtedly, the big match in focus is unbeaten leader BOGDANKA LUK Lublin’s visit to previous leader PGE Projekt Warsaw on Saturday.

  • Watch the PlusLiga on VBTV.

Earlier this week, BOGDANKA LUK Lublin caught up with PGE Projekt Warsaw in the number of matches played (as the team from the capital had their eighth-leg match played in advance back in September), while also surpassing them in the current standings on points to take over the top of the table for them. Lublin continue as the only undefeated team in the league and now they are rightfully occupying the first place in the standings on 22 points and an 8-0 win-loss record. Meanwhile, defending champions Jastrzebski Wegiel Jastrzebie-Zdroj also jumped over Projekt, pushing the squad from Warsaw down to third place, on 20 and 7-1.

However, Projekt have a chance of reclaiming their position on top, if they can stop BOGDANKA’s victorious run as they host them for their ninth-leg fixture on Saturday at 14:45 local time (12:45 UTC) at the HWS Arena Ursynow. There is a balance of four match wins each in previous PlusLiga encounters between the two clubs. However, Projekt edge ahead in the overall head-to-head history with one Poland Cup win and with a golden set win the last time they were face to face across the net in April’s quarterfinal playoffs.

Jastrzebski Wegiel Jastrzebie-Zdroj could also emerge as the new leader after the end of leg nine. If Lublin lose points in Warsaw, the champions could take advantage by getting more points than them upon their visit to PGE GiEK SKRA Belchatow on Monday at 17:30 (16:30). Jastrzebski Wegiel are tied with BOGDANKA on points, but stand second on a 7-1 win-loss record. SKRA, on the other hand, will try not to fall further behind the leader pack, as they are now in fifth place on 14 and 5-2, four points below fourth-placed Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie.

Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie have a tough trip on Sunday, searching for their seventh win of the season as they take on Trefl Gdansk at 17:30 (16:30). Trefl are deeply indebted to their fans as they have not had a home win this season yet and stand 11th on just 8 points and a 2-6 win-loss record.

The PlusLiga “weekend” will start on Friday at 20:30 (18:30) with 10th-placed Slepsk Malow Suwalki (8, 3-4) welcome 12th-placed PSG Stal Nysa (7, 2-4) and will end on Tuesday, when sixth-placed ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle (14, 4-4) entertain 13th-placed Nowak-Mosty MKS Bedzin (7, 2-5) at 17:30 (16:30).

Indykpol AZS Olsztyn and Asseco Resovia Rzeszow will be the first to take to the court on Sunday, just a few hours after Daylight Savings Time ends in the European Union and the clocks are set back by an hour. As they meet at 14:45 (13:45), the hosts from Olsztyn will be looking for their second win of the season in the hope to push up from the 15th place they are taking on 3 points, while Resovia will aim to climb back up above the cut-off line for the players as they are now just below it, in ninth place on 9 and 2-5.

“This is not how we imagined the start of the season, because these are not the team's goals, but we still have a lot of work and matches to play. There is no hiding the fact that every match will be difficult for us. It will definitely be a difficult match in Olsztyn, where our rivals are constantly fighting for their lives. But so are we, because none of us wants the situation we have now. So it will probably be a match with high stakes and emotions, but I hope that it ends in our favour.” Lukasz Kozub, setter of Asseco Resovia Rzeszow

In Sunday’s late match, at 20:30 (19:30), seventh-placed Steam Hemarpol Norwid Czestochowa (12, 5-3) will entertain bottom-placed GKS Katowice (3, 1-7). The suspense is certainly there as just a week earlier, at that very same hall, Norwid allowed the then-bottom-placed Barkom Kazhany Lviv a three-set victory, their first win of the season.

“We are like Robin Hood - we take from the rich and give to the poor. I hope that we will not have such a nickname and that we will play equally with every opponent. We just have to focus on those little things that make a big difference in the final result.” Bartlomiej Lipinski, outside hitter of Steam Hemarpol Norwid Czestochowa

Inspired by their first win and their climb to 14th place (on 3 and 1-6), Ukraine’s Barkom Kazhany Lviv will now try to build up as they visit Cuprum Stilon Gorzow Wielkopolski for Monday’s late match at 20:30 (19:30). It will certainly be a tough challenge for them, as Cuprum are a team from the top half of the table, standing eighth on 10 and 4-4.

PlusLiga 2024-2025 9th leg:
Oct 25, 20:30 local (18:30 UTC): Slepsk Malow Suwalki v PSG Stal Nysa
Oct 26, 14:45 local (12:45 UTC): PGE Projekt Warsaw v BOGDANKA LUK Lublin
Oct 27, 14:45 local (13:45 UTC): Indykpol AZS Olsztyn v Asseco Resovia Rzeszow
Oct 27, 17:30 local (16:30 UTC): Trefl Gdansk v Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie
Oct 27, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Steam Hemarpol Norwid Czestochowa v GKS Katowice
Oct 28, 17:30 local (16:30 UTC): PGE GiEK SKRA Belchatow v Jastrzebski Wegiel Jastrzebie-Zdroj
Oct 28, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Cuprum Stilon Gorzow Wielkopolski v Barkom Kazhany Lviv
Oct 29, 17:30 local (16:30 UTC): ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle v Nowak-Mosty MKS Bedzin

Quick links:
VBTV
Volleyball World Facebook
Volleyball World X
Volleyball World Instagram
Volleyball World YouTube
Subscribe to Volleyball World's Newsletter

Related items