After a five-set drama in the final of the 2022–23 Slovakian Men’s Volleyball Cup, VK Mirad UNIPO Prešov took their fifth trophy in the competition.
The men’s final of the 2022–23 Slovakian Cup (Niké Slovenský Pohár Muži 2022-23) culminated with an exciting plot. The crowd in the hall in Poprad saw fantastic volleyball, where the players from the trophy holders, Rieker UJS Komárno, dominated the first two sets against VK Mirad UNIPO Prešov. The turning point of the match was at the very beginning of the third set: Maroš Kasperkevič, the Komárno setter, injured his right leg. The teenager Emil Gabko came to the court instead, and Prešov suddenly came alive and easily took the third set. However, Komárno were in control of the fourth set. They entered the final stretch of this period with a comfortable lead of 22-18. However, they squandered it, along with two match points. Prešov, on the contrary, used their fourth set ball to tie the match at 2-2 and later win the tie-break and the trophy for the fifth time (previously in 2005, 2016, 2017, and 2021): 3-2 (13-25, 17-25, 25-19, 32-30, 15-5).
The MVP of the Final Four was Prešov’s captain Michal Ščerba. Lukáš Smolej was their top scorer in the final with 17 points, while Ján Jendrejčák recorded six blocks. Marek Gergely notched 21 points on the losing side. Emanuel Kohút made five blocks.
VKP Bratislava celebrated their first Slovakian Women’s Cup in history. In the final match of the 2022-23 edition (Niké Slovenský Pohár Ženy 2022-23), which was also played in Poprad, they swept the city rivals and the 15-time (record) winners of the competition, VK Slávia EU Bratislava: 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-18) The losing side had the only tangible chance of taking a set in the first period when they dropped 15-11.
Argentine libero from Bratislava, María Agostina Pelozo, was named MVP of the F4. Her teammate Ema Smiešková shared the top-scorer accolades with Slávia’s Alexandra Fričová: 13 points each. Smiešková and Anna Kohútová had four blocka apiece.
