Lycurgus went empty-handed on Saturday evening after a match that went all the way to the hole with five sets. In the championship pool, Orion lost 2-3.
The Lycurgus volleyball players had to work hard in their first match in the championship pool. With Orion, a team visited that finished the regular season in third place, one place higher than the team from Groningen. Despite the fact that the team from Doetinchem took office without Australian Adam White, who suddenly stopped due to physical complaints, the home team had a hard time with Orion playing well.
This was immediately apparent in the first set, which went to the visitors 23-25. Orion developed just a little more service pressure from the start, with which the men of the Groningen coach did not always know what to do. As a result, Lycurgus started to fall behind after a set, which was even until 9-9. Orion led 11-15, but saw a now better attacking Lycurgus reduce the deficit, partly thanks to striking blows from the Americans Kyle McCauley and Ryan Coenen. When the important points came, the home team was only 20-21 behind.
Well playing Fin Samili Kaislasalo important for Orion
But Orion, in which the well-playing Finn Samili Kaislasalo was important, was not confused. After 22-24, Canadian Jacob Kern postponed the verdict for a while. Moments later, the set went to the Doetinchem team 23-25, after center forward Niels de Vries hit his service into the net.
Lycurgus apparently had to process that blow for 300 enthusiastic supporters. Orion continued to attack and defend well and quickly took a 3-9 lead in the second set. Coach Taaij tried to wake up his men during a time-out and that had some effect. Lycurgus started to struggle and got things blockingly better. Luuk Hofhuis and substitute Geoffrey van Gent were important with defensive actions at the net.
Also offensively, the Groningers were now better at the lesson. Orion’s lead disappeared like snow in the sun. It became 21-21, after which the visitors reached the set point after a hard smash by Jasper Wijkstra with 22-24. Van Gent postponed the verdict for a while. But the best man at Orion, Kaislasalo, made sure that Lycurgus also lost the second set 23-25 with a hard smash.
Lycurgus had to work hard in the third set
Lycurgus had to work hard in the third set to avoid losing 3-0 in the first match in the championship group. Orion did not relax at first. But after Taaij brought in substitutes Maarten Bartels and Geoffrey van Gent at Lycurgus, the set tilted in favor of the now more combative Groningers. Via 7-5 Lycurgus ran out to 11-7 and 14-9. With captain Coenen and Canadian Jacob Kern on the side, the much better playing home team controlled the set, which was won 25-20. McCauley made important points and also cashed in the set point, making the game 1-2.
The fourth set became a fierce battle between two teams, of which Orion had to win one more set for the victory in the match, while Lycurgus had to prevent that with all his might. There was not much difference in power. Orion brought in the recently recruited Israeli international Shalev Saada, but he didn’t get any further than a harmless service. The set went up to 20-20. With an ace service, game distributor Markus Held led the Groningen team 22-21. The home team could not enjoy the lead for long, because not later Orion was already leading 22-23, thanks to a hard smash by Kaislasalo.
Kyle McCauley is important in the fourth set
The same man brought Orion ahead with another hard hit at 23-24. McCauley, the best man in the Groningen team, was unstoppable twice. Lycurgus led 25-24, but was unable to cash in on the set point. That succeeded moments later at 26-25 when the defense of Doetinchem could not control a hard smash. The ball hit the not too low ceiling of the Alfa-college sports center, so that the home team tied the score 2-2 in sets with 27-25.
The fifth set had to bring the decision. It was once again fought on the razor’s edge. Orion started a bit better and led 2-4. But star McCauley, among other things, ensured that it was 4-4 again soon. The home team was then a bit unhappy in the completion, while Edson Felicissimo scored beautifully for the visitors. Orion came 8-10, 9-11 and 10-12, then a beautiful block from McCauley cut the deficit to 11-12.
After a deflected, but touched ball, the visitors could almost smell the victory with 11-13. Moments later it became a match point for Orion with 11-14. Markus Held postponed the loss for a while, but who else than Kaislasalo then completed the verdict: 12-15 and 2-3 for the team from Doetinchem.