DevelopRes saw their five hitters score over ten points against Budowlani

DevelopRes saw their five hitters score over ten points against Budowlani (Photo: Tauron Liga)

Polish giants KS DevelopRes Rzeszów are set to continue at the top of the country’s 2024-2025 Women’s Tauron Liga at the end of the sixth leg of the second round of the regular season after they topped PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź on Friday.

The teams had been battling neck and neck for the top spot in the standings throughout the entire season and after their 3-1 (23-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-16) comeback win, DevelopRes managed to keep their position.

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With their victory in what was arguably the most critical match in the entire season, the team from Rzeszów not only stopped their rivals’ push for first place, but also created a slight separation at the top of the standings, getting to 45 points (16 wins, one loss).

Budowlani continue in second place with 41 (14 wins, three losses), but could be passed by ŁKS Commercecon Łódź, the only team to beat DevelopRes so far in the country, who are third, with 40 (13 wins, two losses) and play UNI Opole on the road on Monday, at 20:30 local time (19:30 GMT), in the last match of the weekend.

DevelopRes displayed great teamwork to overcome Budowlani and extend their winning streak in the Tauron Liga to eight matches as their five starting hitters reached double digits in scoring – outside hitters Monika Fedusio (18) and Marrit Jesper (14), opposite Sabrina Machado (14) and middle blockers Magdalena Jurczyk (13) and Agnieszka Korneluk (12).

A Paris 2024 Olympian, the 29-year-old Jurczyk stood out with nine kills and four blocks and was selected as the match’s MVP.

"I felt that we had some moments of inconsistency, but I'm glad that we managed to raise our level and secure such an important victory," Jurczyk reacted. "Even though we lost the first set, we made a strong push at the end and I think that that moment gave us the confidence to start strong in the second set. Any match against the top teams is very important and I'm glad we took all three points in this one."

Jurczyk celebrates with the MVP award

Jurczyk celebrates with the MVP award (Photo: Tauron Liga)

Budowlani got most of their points from outside hitter Paulina Damaske, who tied Fedusio with 18 (17 kills, one block), and Slovenian middle blocker Saša Planišec, who delivered 16, with nine kills and an impressive seven blocks.

"We came here to fight and to win," said Serbian outside hitter Jelena Blagogević. "We had multiple opportunities to win the second set but we missed them and I think that it stayed in our minds for a little too long. It's a shame, because I think we are as strong as a team as they are and we could have gotten the points tonight. But now we need to put this match behind us because there's already another one coming soon."

Bielsko-Biała have a chance to close the gap

Currently in fourth place, BKS BOSTIK ZGO Bielsko-Biała have two matches in their schedule this week and could use them to close the gap to the Tauron Liga’s top three. They first went on the court on Wednesday, in a postponed match of the fourth leg of the second round, and got the job done against defending champions LOTTO Chemik Police, triumphing 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-21).

Now with 34 points (12 wins, three losses), they will return to action on Saturday, at 12:30 local time (11:30 GMT), against #VolleyWrocław. On the same day, at 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT), Sokół & Hagric Mogilno are set to face ITA TOOLS STAL Mielec.

In the first match of the sixth leg, on Thursday, MOYA Radomka Radom needed the tie-breaker and two comebacks to overcome 12th-placed Energa MKS Kalisz 3-2 (11-25, 25-18, 22-25, 25-17, 15-11).

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