Clearly outblocking their rivals, with middle blocker Nika Milosic shining at the net, Slovenia stayed in control for the most part of the first two sets and took a 2-0 lead. They managed an early lead in set three as well, but this is when the Czechs scored five in a row to step in front and launch their spectacular comeback. Even in the tie-breaker, Czechia came back from an 8-5 deficit to turn the course of events around to a successful ending that came on 22-year-old middle Ela Koulisiani’s overpass kill for the match winner.
20-year-old opposite Monika Brancuska led the winning side with a match-high 24 points, including two aces and two kill blocks. The two outside hitters chipped in with 15 points apiece. 37-year-old standout Helena Grozer’s tally included three kill blocks, while captain Michaela Mlejnkova put up two of those. Spiking at a 56% success rate, middle blocker Magdalena Jehlarova also reached the double digits with 11 points.
“In the first two sets, we were playing like in the first match. We were in our bubble and this was no volleyball,” coach Athanasopoulos told VBTV. “After that, suddenly everything changed. I want to thank the girls for the reaction and the performance. They gave me the best birthday present and we can celebrate today, but we have one more very important game against USA. We will try everything to win it.”
While 22-year-old outside Fatoumatta Sillah was Slovenia’s most prolific scorer with 23 points, it was 20-year-old middle blocker Nika Milosic that really shined on their team on Sunday. She raised as many as six of the team’s 14 kill blocks in the match, fired an ace and registered a remarkable 79% success rate in attack to finish with 18 points. Slovenia’s other outside, 22-year-old Lorena Lorber Fijok, and opposite Eva Zatkovic finished with 16 and 11 points, respectively.
