Menen stood on Tuesday evening for his second part in what should be a ‘holy’ week for them. Last Saturday they won 3-0 against Maaseik in the Belgian competition. This evening was the second match in the 1/8th finals of the Challenge Cup volleyball against the Bulgarian Sofia.
In the first leg there was a narrow 2-3 victory in Sofia, but that tension was barely noticeable in the beginning today. Menen continued the momentum against Maaseik and quickly gained a few points. The home team also maintains that lead until the end of set 1.
In set 2 the Bulgarians are completely outclassed, Gilles Vandecaveye hits from the service line and in no time it is 13-0. For the rest of the set, some reserve players get their chance and Menen eventually wins 25-10. The home team seems to be on its way to a smooth qualification.
But the visitors are not at all affected after the humiliating second set and actually take the lead, 7-10 halfway. Then Menen takes over again and it goes from 12-12 to 18-14. At the end of the set it gets exciting again. Both teams get a few set balls, but in the end the Bulgarians manage to win the set.
Menen also does not start well in the fourth set, Sofia quickly gains several points. The visitors hold it for the entire set and Menen never appears in the play, 19-25 and time for the ‘belle’.
The fifth set improves the game for Menen, but the home team still has to fight for every point. Things go smoothly for a long time, but after a true thriller Menen wins 22-20 and the qualification is finally achieved.
Either Portugal’s Lisbon or Finland’s AKAA Volley await in the quarter-finals. But first there will be the second leg in the semi-finals of the cup against Leuven on Saturday, again at home in the Vauban.