In the second round match of the 2024 CEV Champions League Pool A, Turkey’s Ziraat Bankkart scored a hard-fought victory against the reigning three-time champions, Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle from Poland, with a close scoreline of 3-2.
The Ankara-based Ziraat Bankkart team showcased remarkable resilience and skill in this intense volleyball encounter. The home team secured the first two sets, but the Polish squad pushed back, leading to a decisive tie-break. In a nail-biting finish, Ziraat Bankkart clinched the match, spurred by a series of impressive serves from American Matt Anderson.
Matthew Anderson led the scoring for Ziraat Bankkart with 23 points, followed by Bedirhan Bulbul (17), Wouter ter Maat (15), and Oreol Camejo (10). On the Polish side, Łukasz Kaczmarek topped with 27 points, with Bartosz Bednorz adding 21 and Aleksander Śliwka contributing 13.
The final score read Ziraat Bank Ankara 3, Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle 2, with set scores of 26-24, 25-22, 18-25, 19-25, 15-12.
Matt Anderson was rightfully chosen as the match’s standout player. With this win, Ziraat Bankkart maintains a perfect record in the Champions League. The intense battle lasted 133 minutes.
In another Champions League Pool A match in Greece, Belgium’s Knack Roeselare overcame hosts Olympiacos in straight sets, with scores of 19-25, 20-25, 19-25.
