Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR cruised to an impressive home win in the women’s MEVZA League, needing just 56 minutes to defeat underdogs OK Marina KASTELA 3-0 (25-10, 25-7, 25-12) on Wednesday.
As a result, the Slovenian team moved up to third in the current standing on 12 points from a 4-4 win-loss record. Therefore, Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR kept their chance alive to qualify for the Final Four tournament scheduled later that month in Vienna. While the unbeaten table leaders OK Calcit KAMNIK as well as second-placed Vasas Óbuda BUDAPEST and hosts VB NÖ SOKOL/POST are already confirmed participants in this season’s climax, besides Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR just HAOK Mladost ZAGREB is still in the race for the last Final Four spot. Both sides have two matches in the regular season remaining.
In the men’s competition, HAOK Mladost ZAGREB recorded their third comprehensive win in a row. Croatia’s reigning national champions left no chance to VKP BRATISLAVA, winning 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-21) at the bottom of the table. As OK Calcit KAMNIK celebrated a hard-fought 3-2 (24-26, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 15-11) away win at Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL later that evening, HAOK Mladost ZAGREB are now one point ahead of their Slovenian rivals in the battle for the last ticket to the Final Four tournament.
In the third men’s MEVZA League match played on Wednesday, second-placed OK MERKUR MARIBOR suffered a 2-3 (25-18, 21-25, 25-18, 20-25, 6-15) loss at the hands of Final Four tournament hosts SK Zadruga AICH/DOB. Sebastijan Skorc, head coach OK MERKUR MARIBOR: “After a 2-1 lead, our game went into a slump. I could attribute this to the problems we have with the team composition already in training due to illnesses, quarantines and injuries, but this should not be an excuse. We definitely need to play better.”
Women’s MEVZA League
02.02.: Nova KBM Branik MARIBOR (SLO) vs. OK Marina KASTELA (CRO) 3-0 (25-10, 25-7, 25-12)
03.02., 18:00: OK Marina KASTELA (CRO) vs. OK Calcit KAMNIK (SLO)
Men’s MEVZA League
02.02.: VKP BRATISLAVA (SVK) vs. HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO) 0-3 (18-25, 17-25, 21-25)
02.02.: Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL (AUT) vs. OK Calcit KAMNIK (SLO) 2-3 (26-24, 19-25, 25-22, 23-25, 11-15)
02.02.: OK MERKUR MARIBOR (SLO) vs. SK Zadruga AICH/DOB (AUT) 2-3 (25-18, 21-25, 25-18, 20-25, 6-15)
04.02., 18:00: VKP BRATISLAVA (SVK) vs. UVC Holding GRAZ (AUT)
05.02., 19:00: SK Zadruga AICH/DOB (AUT) vs. OK Calcit KAMNIK (SLO)
06.02., 19:00: OK MERKUR MARIBOR (SLO) vs. VKP BRATISLAVA (SVK)
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