The Maribor girls dropped out after losing a gold set

The women’s volleyball team of OTP Banka Branik Maribor was eliminated from the second round of European Champions League qualifiers after losing the decisive golden set to Belgium’s Asterix AVO Beveren. The match took place on October 29, 2026, at the Tabor arena in Maribor, Slovenia. Although the home side won the return leg 3-1, their earlier loss in the first leg meant the aggregate score remained level, forcing a tie-breaker. The Belgian visitors secured advancement to the third qualifying round by winning the golden set 15-6. In the initial encounter held in Beveren one week prior, the Belgian champions had dominated with a straight-set victory of 3-0, taking the sets 26-24, 25-18, and 25-12. This result placed significant pressure on the Slovenian squad for the return fixture. Approximately 500 spectators attended the game in Maribor, creating a loud atmosphere for the host team. The match began with the Maribor players displaying composure and determination. They quickly established a four-point lead, which expanded to 15-7 following effective serves and attacking plays. However, the Belgian opponents regained focus and erased the deficit, leveling the score at 19-19. The momentum shifted back to the hosts as Darya Ivanova recorded two successful attacks. Later, Zhana Ivana Haluzan Sagadin scored a point to bring the lead to 24-20. A subsequent error by the guests allowed the Maribor team to close out the first set 25-20. The second set saw even greater dominance from the Slovenian side. Their serving continued to be potent, while their defense remained reliable. This performance resulted in an early 8-2 lead. The Belgian players appeared disoriented and struggled to find rhythm. The home team capitalized on this weakness, extending their advantage through points by Ivanova and Naja Kajzersperger. They led 20-10 before securing the set to take a 2-0 series lead. The third set featured more balanced play, with both teams committing errors. The Belgian visitors made fewer mistakes and built a 13-9 lead after scoring four consecutive points following a 9-9 tie. Ivanova temporarily halted their run, and Isa Ramić helped the hosts equalize the score. Nevertheless, the guests pulled away again, starting the final phase of the set with a three-point cushion. Iris Scholten extended this advantage, allowing Beveren to win the set 25-20. The fourth set started with the home team leading 4-0 on serves from Masa Mlinar. The visitors immediately responded to tie the game at 4-4. The hosts regained control, building another four-point lead, but the Belgians caught up again at 13-13. The remainder of the set was tightly contested until Kajzersperger scored twice, assisted by points from Ramić and Ivanova, to push the lead to 20-16. The Maribor team maintained this edge in the closing moments, with Mlinar scoring the final point to win the set 25-22 and force a golden set. The deciding golden set did not go well for the Slovenian team. The Belgian squad played exceptionally well, taking an early 4-0 lead. They controlled the pace of the game throughout, increasing their advantage to 8-4. When the gap widened to 10-4, it became clear that the home side could not overcome the deficit. The Belgian team finished the set 15-6 to advance. Individual statistics highlighted the contributions of key players. For OTP Banka Branik, Darya Ivanova was the top scorer with 11 points. Ronja Stampar, Isa Ramić, and Naja Kajzersperger each added 10 points. Masa Mlinar contributed nine points, while Kamaluhia Garcia and Zhana Ivana Haluzan Sagadin recorded seven points each. Zhana Godec scored one point. Additional players listed in the lineup included Bingo, Dragsic, Cikac, Farkas, and Zelko. For Asterix AVO Beveren, Iris Scholten led all scorers with 15 points. Nel Demeyer, Lettie Wiegerinck, and Sarah Hauben each tallied 13 points. Other contributors included Van Sas with five points, Maes with six, Neufkens with one, Van Den Spiegel with one, Van De Velde, Gilson, and Debout. Coach Ziga Kos guided the Maribor team during the match. The Belgian team will proceed to the third round of the Champions League qualifiers, while the Slovenian champions have concluded their campaign in Europe's premier club competition.