Source: Press service Dinamo-Kazan
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Dinamo KAZAN encountered resistance from Maritsa, Bulgaria, in the home match of the 6th round of the Champions League group stage, but then got enraged and triumphantly defeated the opponent.
In keeping with best tradition of the past few years, Dinamo KAZAN accomplished its strategic task of making the playoffs in the Champions League ahead of time, so the game with Maritsa no longer had any significance for the tournament outcome. The game itself remained intriguing, though: what lineup will the coaches define, what mood will the players have - and who will eventually win?
1st set. The first thing became clear immediately: both teams came to play the game with the strongest lineup. The mood turned out to be a more complicated matter, though. That's why the first set turned out to be a struggle for catch up. First, the home team took the lead - 9:6. But Maritsa caught up after the serve of Lora Kitipova – 11:12. The Kazan team leaped forward – 16:12, but after a while the score was equaled again – 22:22. Nevertheless, the next rush helped Dinamo KAZAN win the set ending.
2nd set. The ding-dong fight continued in the second set - 12:12. But once the playmaker was replaced with Filishtinskaya, Dinamo KAZAN rushed forward - 20:15. The ending, however, was a perfect reflection of the previous set. Maritsa caught up after the serve of Kitipova - 20:19 - and then won the set thanks to a good block.
3rd set. Inspired by success, the Bulgarians try to keep the initiative - 9:10. And it is practically the first time in the season that Rishat Gilyazutdinov has to make several unplanned replacements. However, now the main factor becomes the change in attitudes among the Russians, who are mad because of the second set loss. Irina Voronkova sets the ball rolling having made 3 consecutive aces with her power serve - 16:10. Her impulse is supported by the whole team, and Dinamo KAZAN easily wins the set - 25:15.
4th set. The Russians, angry with encountering the resistance from the Group C outsider, remain furious further on. Bombarded with complex serves and powerful spikes of the Kazan team, Maritsa simply has no chance - 16:3. The final score 25:6 shows what happens, if Dinamo KAZAN really gets angry.
Irina Voronkova, player of Dinamo KAZAN:
- They would better not piss me off! Indeed, at the beginning of the match we failed - we showed a poor game without any enthusiasm. But after losing the second set, we got really angry. Personally I was in a rage! I was so angry at myself and at my opponent. How dare they beat us in the second set?! They'd better not mess with us!
Lora Kitipova, player of Maritza PLOVDIV:
- This match was not crucial for us, so we played with ease and were quite successful in the beginning. But then, Dinamo KAZAN showed us their high class - they would simply not let us play.
Champions League. Pool С. 6th tour.
Dinamo (Kazan, Russia) – Maritza (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) - 3:1 (25:23, 21:25, 25:15, 25:6)
27th February. Russia. Kazan. Volleyball Center “Saint Petersburg”.
Referee: Hakkarainen P. (Finland). Match time: 1.46 (29+29+24+24).
Dinamo: Maryukhnich (6), Koroleva (8), Voronkova (18), Mammadova (10), Startseva – C (3), Vasileva (15) – starting line-up, Ulanova (libero), Kotikova (1), Filishtinskaia (5), Malygina (8), Samoilenko (5).
Maritza: Dimitrova N. (6), Kitipova (3), Nikolova (9), Dimitrova S. (8), Teneva – C (12), Grigorova (5) – starting line-up, Monova (libero), Todorova (libero), Dancheva (2), Joseph, Milanova (1), Andreeva (1), Dimova.
Points – 96:69, serve – 12:2, spike – 50:36, block – 17:9, reception – 42%:44%, errors – 20:25.
(Statistics by “Dinamo Kazan” coach-statistics M.Kuzovenin)
Playoffs Phase:
21st March:
Volero ZÜRICH – VakifBank ISTANBUL
Imoco Volley CONEGLIANO – Dinamo KAZAN
Galatasaray SK ISTANBUL – Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA
4th April:
VakifBank ISTANBUL – Volero ZÜRICH
Dinamo KAZAN – Imoco Volley CONEGLIANO
Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA – Galatasaray SK ISTANBUL