The MEVZA Final 4 Women’s Volleyball Tournament came to a riveting conclusion this weekend, as teams battled it out for top honors in a series of intense matches. In a showdown for the gold medal and the coveted trophy, HAOK Mladost ZAGREB faced off against OK CALCIT KAMNIK in a clash of titans that had fans on the edge of their seats.
The final match proved to be a nail-biting affair, with both teams leaving it all on the court in pursuit of victory. HAOK Mladost ZAGREB displayed formidable skill and determination, but OK CALCIT KAMNIK proved to be a formidable opponent. In a fiercely contested battle that went down to the wire, OK CALCIT KAMNIK emerged triumphant with a hard-fought victory, winning by 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-18, 15-8).
Mladost Zagreb quickly gained an elusive advantage in the first set. Although towards the end of the set the players from Kamnik raised their level of play, the players from Croatia won the set with a score of 25:19. In the second set, Calcit Kamnik showed a better game and led with 21:15 before the end of the set. However, the Croatians did not give up and ensured a tense playoff, as they managed to collect 23 points despite the deficit. They showed their determination already at the beginning of the third set, as they even took a 13:4 lead.
They did a great job of blocking attacks from opponents and were more versatile in attack. Nevertheless, the advantage slowly melted away and at 22 points for Mladost, the advantage was only four points. This was enough for them to win the set with a score of 25:20. The players from Kamnik started the fourth set better, as they led with 11:5. Then a series of six points for Mladost and the score was settled. This was not enough for a turnaround, as the Calcit players showed more composure and won the set with 25:19.
In the fifth deciding set, the Calcit players first took a 4:2 lead, then cashed in on their experience and increased their lead to four points (8:4). Above all, they played better in defense and blocking, and were more effective in counterattacks. At the same time, the young players of Mladost still had problems with serving and the advantage continued to increase. The result made it clear that Mladost would have a hard time erasing the lead. In the end, Calcit won 15:8 and won this year’s MEVZA league after five final sets. Masa Pucelj scored 19 points for the winning team, while Andrea Mihaljevic scored 21 points for the losing team.
The victory was a testament to OK CALCIT KAMNIK’s resilience and tenacity, as they overcame a determined HAOK Mladost ZAGREB to claim the gold medal and etch their names in the annals of volleyball history.
While OK CALCIT KAMNIK celebrated their victory, the fight for the bronze medal was equally intense. OK NOVA BRANIK KBM MARIBOR squared off against SWIETELSKY BEKESCSABA in a battle for third place. In a closely contested match, OK NOVA BRANIK KBM MARIBOR emerged victorious with a hard-fought 3-1 win, securing the bronze medal and adding another accolade to their impressive record.
The first set was easily won by the home team, as the visitors from Hungary managed to collect only 14 points. In the second set, the visitors showed a better game, while the home team relaxed a bit. Thus, the two teams entered the finals of the series tied on points. Nova KBM Branik showed more composure and won the set with 25:23. The lead in the sets with 2:0 put Nova KBM Branik players to sleep a bit and the guests from Bekescsaba quickly took advantage of this and won the set with 25:20. This clearly upset the home team, who in the third set served more decisively and were more effective in attack, thus conceding only 16 points to the visitors. Iza Mlakar (Nove KBM Branik) was the most successful on the field with 19 points, while Luna Bencic from the Swietelsky Bekescsaba team scored 15 points.
As the final whistle blew, OK CALCIT KAMNIK celebrated their well-deserved victory, while OK NOVA BRANIK KBM MARIBOR savored their bronze medal triumph. The MEVZA Final 4 Women’s Volleyball Tournament may have come to an end, but the memories of the thrilling matches and unforgettable moments will linger on, serving as a testament to the passion and dedication of all the teams involved.
