SPORTS
Azeryol stays in the game with 3-0 in Bacau
Baku, January 14, AZERTAC
Azeryol Baku shut out Stiinta Bacau by 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-18) in a fourth leg Pool B 2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Women’s game on Wednesday in Romania. Despite the loss, the home fans can be happy with the good performance of their favourites. For Azeryol this is the third victory in the pool and puts the team in a great position for a run to the playoffs. The Romanian players put some pressure on Baku's team only in the first set. Then the difference between the two sides started to show.
Stiinta started the first set playing with a lot of determination and strong blocks by outside spiker Denisa Rogojinaru. Sabina Moisa set balls for middle blocker Alexandra Sobo while Azeryol’s setter Lora Kitipova opted preferably for opposite Jovana Brakocevic. The home heroines from Bacau looked motivated and moved the score to 10-5, when the Azeryol’s coach asked for an early time-out. The visiting team showed problems in attack while Stiinta took control of the game for 16-10. The Azerbaijani side fought back to flip the score to 19-17 with a very solid block-defence system. In the end Azeryol’s players showed their formidable skills and experience to win the key points of the set for a 25-22.
The team from Bacau looked somehow demotivated after missing out on that chance and the beginning of the second set was the best start the visiting team could ask for, powerfully spiking with high intensity to gain a 5-2 lead. They continued that excellent performance and Bacau’s audience could enjoy some spectacular actions. After 8-3 and 16-6 at the technical time-outs, Azeryol doubled its lead at 25-14.
Azeryol had some troubles in the opening of the third set and Stiinta took control for 7-5. Their opponents showed the intention to come back and reduced the gap to 7-8 with strong serving by Jovana Brakocevic. The home girls were feeling the pressure as the second technical time-out was called with Azeryol leading the way by 16-11. After the break, the visitors scored two more for 18-11. The host team tried their best to come back into the game, but even the substitutions called by their head coach Florin Grapa did not change much and Azeryol rapidly sailed to the closing of the game at 25-18.
The best scorer of the match was Azeryol’s middle blocker Strashimira Filipova with 15 points. Outside spiker Anastasya Harelik was Stiinta’s most prolific player with 13 points.