Bulgarian Sami-M Superliga 2015-2016

  • 3-1 win for CSKA versus Levski Ball in the old school derby of Bulgarian volleyball. MVP - the 42-year-old Ivaylo Stefanov. A surprising win for Marek in Burgas against the league leaders Neftochimik and 26 block points in a single match for Pirin are the other highlights of the round.

  • #15


    Minyor - Teteven Volley 0-3 (23-25, 15-25, 18-25)
    Marek Union-Ivkoni - Pirin 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-21) stats
    Arda - CSKA 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-23)
    Levski Ball - Neftochimik 2010 3-2 (25-23, 25-22, 22-25, 16-25, 17-15)
    Dobrudzha 07 - Montana 3-2 (25-18, 25-20, 15-25, 22-25, 15-13) stats


    Standings


    1 - Dobrudzha 07 (11-4) 31
    2 - Neftochimik 2010 (10-5) 31
    3 - Montana (10-5) 31
    4 - Pirin (10-5) 28
    5 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (9-6) 28
    6 - Arda (9-6) 26
    7 - Teteven Volley (6-9) 20
    8 - CSKA (6-9) 18
    9 - Levski Ball (3-12) 9
    10-Minyor (1-14) 3

  • #16


    Neftochimik 2010 - Arda 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-17) stats
    Pirin - Levski Ball 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-14) stats
    CSKA - Dobrduzha 07 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-21) stats
    Montana - Minyor 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-19)
    Teteven Volley
    - Marek Union-Ivkoni 3-2 (25-19, 16-25, 25-23, 13-25, 15-12)


    Standings


    1 - Neftochimik 2010 (11-5) 34
    2 - Montana (11-5) 34
    3 - Dobrudzha 07 (11-5) 31
    4 - Pirin (11-5) 31
    5 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (9-7) 29
    6 - Arda (9-7) 26
    7 - Teteven Volley (7-9) 22
    8 - CSKA (7-9) 21
    9 - Levski Ball (3-13) 9
    10-Minyor (1-15) 3

  • #17


    Minyor - CSKA 0-3 (21-25, 22-25, 19-25)
    Montana - Teteven Volley 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-9) stats
    Levski Ball - Marek Union-Ivkoni 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-18 )
    Arda - Pirin 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19) stats
    Dobrudzha 07 - Neftochimik 2010 0-3 (21-25, 22-25, 13-25)


    Standings


    1 - Neftochimik 2010 (12-5) 37
    2 - Montana (12-5) 37
    3 - Dobrudzha 07 (11-6) 31
    4 - Pirin (11-6) 31
    5 - Arda (10-7) 29
    6 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (9-8 ) 29
    7 - CSKA (8-9) 24
    8 - Teteven Volley (7-10) 22
    9 - Levski Ball (4-13) 12
    10-Minyor (1-16) 3

  • A very big win for Neftochimik in Dobrich in a sports hall they had been relatively unsuccessful at. Not the victory itself, rather the score was a bit surprising. With these 3 points, Neftochimik will 99% sure finish atop of the standings as they play at home versus Minyor in the last round.


    In the last round we have Marek vs. Arda and Pirin vs. Dobrudzha in matches that will set the entry playoff positions. There is still a chance for Teteven Volley to move a position further if they handle Levski at home, while CSKA's match at home against Montana will depend both on teams' line-ups and motivation.

  • #18


    CSKA - Montana 3-1 (15-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-22) stats
    Neftochimik 2010 - Minyor 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-23) stats
    Pirin - Dobrudzha 07 3-2 (25-22, 20-25, 15-25, 37-35, 15-9) stats
    Marek Union-Ivkoni - Arda 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-21) stats
    Teteven Volley - Levski Ball 1-3 (16-25, 25-19, 21-25, 20-25)


    Standings


    1 - Neftochimik 2010 (13-5) 40
    2 - Montana (12-6) 37
    3 - Pirin (12-6) 33
    4 - Dobrudzha 07 (11-7) 32
    5 - Marek Union-Ivkoni (10-8 ) 32
    6 - Arda (10-8 ) 29
    7 - CSKA (9-9) 27
    8 - Teteven Volley (7-11) 22
    ----------------------------------------
    9 - Levski Ball (5-13) 15
    10-Minyor (1-17) 3

  • Quarterfinal playoffs:


    March 10


    (1) Neftochimik 2010 vs. (8 ) Teteven Volley
    (2) Montana vs. (7) CSKA
    (3) Pirin vs. (6) Arda
    (4) Dobrudzha 07 vs. (5) Marek Union-Ivkoni


    March 13


    Second matches


    March 16


    Third matches if necessary


    For another year in a row the playoffs will decide only the champion. Which means that Neftochimik 2010 and Montana are sure of at least silver and bronze medals respectively.

  • Neftochimik 2010 - Teteven Volley 3-1 (1-0) (18-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-20) stats
    Montana - CSKA 3-2 (1-0) (28-26, 19-25, 22-25, 25-16, 15-11) stats
    Pirin - Arda 0-3 (0-1) (20-25, 23-25, 23-25) stats
    Dobrudzha 07 - Marek Union-Ivkoni 3-2 (1-0) (21-25, 25-14, 25-18, 21-25, 17-15) stats

  • CSKA - Montana 2-3 (0-2) (17-25, 25-19, 15-25, 25-22, 14-16) stats
    Marek Union-Ivkoni - Dobrudzha 07 3-1 (1-1) (25-17, 25-16, 22-25, 30-28 ) stats
    Teteven Volley - Neftochimik 2010 0-3 (0-2) (20-25, 23-25, 24-26)
    Arda - Pirin 3-1 (2-0) (23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-17) stats


    Dobrduzha 07 vs. Marek Union-Ivkoni will play a decisive third match tomorrow, 15.03.

  • Dobrduzha 07 vs. Marek Union-Ivkoni will play a decisive third match tomorrow, 15.03.

    Dobrudzha 07 - Marek Union-Ivkoni 3-0 (2-1) (25-19, 28-26, 25-23) stats


    Semifinal playoffs:


    Neftochimik 2010 vs. Dobrudzha 07
    Montana vs. Arda


    The series start on Tuesday, 22.03. 3 wins out of 5 games needed to reach the final.


    So here comes the answer (and the denial) whether Marek could pull a surprise and drastically change their performance in the playoffs. All they could do was to take the tie to a decisive match in Dobrich. This time logic prevailed and now Bulgaria awaits its new volleyball champion.

  • What will happen with Levski and Minyor?


    Does in Bulgaria exist League 2?

    Yes, we have a second league. Clubs with tradition in Bulgarian volleyball like Slavia Sofia, Cherno more BASK, Lokomotiv Plovdiv, even talent incubators like Victoria Volley, currently play there. As everything organized by the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation and its affiliates, e.g. the National Volleyball League, there is no information as to what will happen. Based on practice from previous 2-3 seasons, the last team in the regular season, this year that is Minyor Pernik, also a team with huge tradition in Bulgaria and not so bright present, is expected to be relegated. The team above, Levski Ball, is supposed to play one relegation game against the runner-up from the second division. The winner goes/stays to the top tier. However, as illegal as the current presence and overall existence of Levski Ball in the Superleague is, I would expect a "sudden" expansion of the league in favour of Vlado Nikolov's Levski in case they fail to win the qualifier. Yes, this is now Vlado Nikolov's Levski.


    Just for information, Slavia Sofia, the volleyball birthplace of Plamen Konstantinov, Matey Kaziyski, the Bratoev twins, and many others, is topping the charts in the second division, whereas Cherno more and Victoria Volley are fighting for the second position.

  • Semifinal playoffs:


    Neftochimik 2010 - Dobrudzha 07 1-3 (0-1) (21-25, 22-25, 25-19, 24-26)
    Montana - Arda 3-1 (1-0) (25-23, 24-26, 25-19, 25-21) stats


    Neftochimik 2010 - Dobrudzha 07 2-3 (0-2) (19-25, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 18-20) stats
    Montana - Arda 3-0 (2-0) (25-15, 25-23, 28-26) stats

  • Dobrudzha 07 - Neftochimik 2010 2-3 (2-1) (23-25, 20-25, 25-15, 25-22, 17-19) stats
    Arda - Montana 3-1 (1-2) (25-23, 23-25, 28-26, 25-21) stats


    Dobrudzha 07 - Neftochimik 2010 3-1 (3-1) (25-16, 25-22, 17-25, 25-21) stats
    Arda - Montana 3-0 (2-2) (25-19, 25-14, 30-28 )


    Montana - Arda 3-2 (3-2) (22-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 15-13) stats

  • Final playoffs:


    Montana vs. Dobrudzha 07


    Best of 5 series. The first match takes place in Montana on 05.04, Tuesday.


    It's the first final in Montana's history. They suffered a lot against Arda, they had problems against the same opponent during last year's quarterfinal playoffs. Arda took a perfect advantage of their home matches and were even very close to making yet another surprise. Winning the series might have given Montana some confidence now before the finals.


    In the other series, Dobrudzha's two wins in Burgas totally decided the outcome of the tie. Dobrudzha started the season slowly and now seem in a great shape. Neftochimik, the regular season winner, lost their focus and paid a high price. They finish with the silver medals, these playoffs decide only the champion, otherwise the ranking from the regular season is taken into account. Exhaustion has been quoted as the primary source for Neftochimik's performance drop lately. Dobrudzha will now appear in another final after they lost the title to Marek last campaign.


    Dobrudzha will need at least one away win if they want to take the gold medals. Both teams have their chances and strengths, maybe I feel Dobrduzha have a slight advantage based on more recent experience in such decisive games.

  • Montana - Dobrudzha 07 2-3 (0-1) (22-25, 27-25, 25-18, 21-25, 9-15) stats
    Montana - Dobrudzha 07 3-1 (1-1) (27-29, 25-23, 25-22, 25-20) stats


    The next two matches will take place in Dobrich on Saturday and Sunday, resp. April 9th and 10th.

  • Dobrudzha 07 - Montana 3-0 (2-1) (25-20, 25-16, 25-18 ) stats
    Dobrudzha 07 - Montana 3-0 (3-1) (25-21, 25-21, 25-18 ) stats


    Dobrudzha won the final series 3-1 and became Bulgarian champion for the first time in their history.


  • Now that Bulgarian champions are almost permanently located outside the capital, Dobrudzha 07 broke Marek's series and won the championship. They didn't start the season in the best possible way but gathered momentum along the way and swept Marek - the multiple defending champions, Neftochimik - regular season winner, and Montana on the way to the gold. The progress the club had been making paid off in the end. They have some OK, some nice and some really nice players in the roster and are coached by an otherwise underrated coach (Miroslav Zhivkov) who can deliver results sometimes and , most importantly, who works well with youngsters. I am mostly happy to see Velizar Chernokozhev with a title. It is much needed for his self-confidence and his mental growth as a player. He is someone you will see in the NT very soon, probably as a back-up for Sokolov at the beginning.


    The only thing I don't like about this situation (a champion different from Marek, Neftochimik, or Montana) is that Dobrduzha will most likely reject their right to participate in the Champions League qualifiers. They have a budget sufficient to make a living but I doubt they would take on unnecessary adventures. Which is a pity because champions belong to the Champions League and these guys could potentially get close to the tournament's doorsteps.