Maribor Women Convincingly Defeated in Belgium

The women’s volleyball team of OTP Banka Branik suffered a decisive defeat in Belgium on Wednesday, losing the first leg of their Champions League qualification tie against Asterix Avo Volley with a score of 0 sets to 3. The match took place in Beveren, where the Slovenian champions fell to the Belgian side with set scores of 24, 18, and 12. This result leaves the Maribor-based club trailing in the two-legged encounter, though they retain a chance to advance through a new golden set rule introduced for this season's qualifiers. The return fixture is scheduled for October 29 at 19:00 local time in the Tabor Hall in Maribor. The contest marked the start of the European campaign for both teams. The Slovenian squad entered the game following a recent loss in the domestic Super Cup, a setback that coach Žiga Kos noted had left his players traveling under less than ideal conditions. Kos stated that the team’s cohesion was not yet at the desired level, a factor he believed contributed to their performance in Belgium. Despite these challenges, the visitors began the match strongly, opening the first set with a promising display. They trailed by only one point early on before seizing control, building a lead that reached five points multiple times and six points once. However, the home side mounted a comeback, narrowing the gap to 17-19. The Belgian team then scored five consecutive points to take a 25-24 lead and subsequently utilized their first set ball to close out the set 26-24. The second set proved more balanced, with neither team managing to establish a margin greater than two points for much of the duration. The hosts were the first to break away, reaching an 18-15 advantage. The final phase of the set remained firmly in the hands of the home crowd, who extended their lead to 23-17 after another run of five straight points. Asterix Avo Volley secured the second set with a final score of 25-18. In the third set, the Belgian players started with overwhelming dominance. They recorded six consecutive points to jump ahead 9-2, extending the lead to 11-3 and later 17-6. The disparity made it clear early on that this would be the deciding set. The home team closed out the match with a 25-12 victory, completing the clean sweep. Individual performances highlighted the struggle faced by the visitors. For the home side, Iris Scholten and Lette Wiegerinck each tallied 12 points. Wiegerinck was particularly effective at the net, recording seven blocks. On the visiting team, Maša Mlinar and Ronja Štampar each contributed nine points. Other notable contributors for the hosts included Maes with 11 points, including two aces and a block, while Debout added six points with one block. For Branik, Ivanova scored eight points, including an ace and two blocks, while Garcia and Kajzersperger added five points each, with Kajzersperger registering three blocks. The qualification format involves eight teams competing over two rounds for two spots in the group stage of the top-tier European competition, which features the best 20 clubs on the continent. Teams eliminated in the qualification rounds will continue their European journey in the CEV Cup. Under the new regulations for this season, if the two teams are tied in wins after the two legs, they will play a golden set to 15 points, regardless of the number of sets won in the regular matches. The winner of this tie advances to the next round of qualifications. Currently, several teams have already secured direct entry into the Champions League group stage. These include four Italian and four Turkish clubs, three Polish teams, two German and two French sides, as well as one each from Romania, Serbia, and Hungary. The defending champion of the tournament is VakıfBank from Istanbul. The upcoming return match in Maribor will determine whether Branik can overturn the deficit. With the golden set rule in effect, the Slovenian team has a mathematical path forward even if they lose the return match, provided they win enough sets to force the decider. The focus for the coaching staff will likely shift toward improving aggression in serving and finding more decisive solutions in attack, areas identified as needing improvement following their earlier domestic cup loss. The atmosphere in the Tabor Hall is expected to provide additional motivation for the visitors as they attempt to keep their European ambitions alive.