In a Round of 16 match held in Bari, Serbia’s men’s volleyball team secured their spot in the EuroVolley 2023 quarterfinals by defeating the Czechia with a clean sweep of 3-0. The sets ended 25-21, 26-24, and 25-21 after 85 minutes of intense play.
The first set saw Serbia edging out their Czech rivals by a slight margin, with the opponent constantly on their heels. However, as the initial set progressed, Serbia managed to break their opponent’s resistance, establishing a six-point lead at one point (16-10). This lead proved sufficient for Igor Kolaković’s team to secure the set at 25-21, taking a 1-0 lead.
The second set mirrored the first with fierce competition throughout. Despite Serbia holding a slight advantage for most of the set, the Czech Republic managed to equalize the score in the final moments (21-21). Undeterred, the Serbian seniors displayed a strong desire to double their lead, eventually winning the set 26-24.
The determination of Igor Kolaković’s team to finish the match in three sets was evident. In the third set, Serbia took the lead from the begining, securing their spot in the quarterfinals with a 25-21 victory.
Serbia will face Poland in the quarterfinals of the European Championship on Tuesday, September 12th.
The most effective players for the Serbian team were Aleksandar Atanasijević with 14 points and Pavle Perić with 12 points. On the other side, Jan Galabov and Marek Sotola each contributed nine points.
Serbia’s quarterfinal showdown against Poland promises to be an exciting clash. Other quarterfinal matchups include Slovenia vs. Ukraine, France vs. Romania, and Italy vs. the Netherlands.
Quarterfinals in Varna, September 11, 2023
Slovenia vs. Ukraine
France vs. Romania
Quarterfinals in Bari, September 12, 2023
Poland vs. Serbia
Italy vs Netherlands
Round of 16 in Bari, Italy,
September 9, 2023
Italy vs. North Macedonia 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-15)
Netherlands vs. Germany 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 15-12)
September 10, 2023
Poland vs. Belgium 3-1 (25-16, 25-17, 23-25, 25-22)
Serbia vs. Czech Republic 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-21)
Round of 16 in Varna,
September 8, 2023
Croatia vs. Romania 2-3 (17-25, 20-25, 25-17, 28-26, 12-15)
France vs. Bulgaria 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-15)
September 9, 2023
Slovenia vs. Turkiye 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-13)
Portugal vs. Ukraine 0-3 (20-25, 19-25, 22-25)
