CEV U20 European Championship - 2016 | 9 | 2

    Cool, i like these Cinderella stories. Congrats to Ukraine, this time it was Italy on the receiving end of a great serve performance. You could think that someone, somewhere, is just checking genealogy of some of the ukraine guys 8)

    Quote from Kaziyski

    I think Plotyntskyi was on service line in 4th set as well. Totire lost this match as he never should allow Plotnytskyi serving more tha twice in a row. He was just watching run from 13:9 to 13:11 but it was too late.

    Just watched the end of fifth set. Coach called TO at 10 and 12, changed MB at 14. You can say that he missed something like throwing a stick between Plotnytskyi's legs but imho its hard to put any blame on the coach here.
    Best chance to side out was after first two receptions, where the italian setter mislocated his sets.


    But credit where credit is due. Great serving, blocking and awareness of ukraine team :teach: :thumbup:

    Russia won the bronze and deserved it.


    I watched only the fourth set, it seemed that as predictable Italy's mind was still on the absurd ending of the tie break vs Ukraine... No fight spirit at all, they looked kinda lost.

    Quote from Martee

    Is Plotnytskyi playing in any major leagues? I saw that he played in Rio in beach volleyball (another shocking fact to me). I won't be surprised if he's the next rising star.


    Uhmm, which Rio tournament? The Olympics? Not that I know of. There was no team from Ukraine in the men's draw. Although Ukraine has had some very good junior and youth teams in recent years.

    Poland won it :cheesy: hope that they will keep improving and find quickly places in clubs where they can gain experience and play for NT in next few years ^^ Bartek Kwolek can become useful complete OH in the future, good for him that he chose Politechnika :thumbsup: Ziobrowski and Fornal should get some chances in Radom, Kozub in Będzin and Kochanowski in Olsztyn ^^


    Poland just smashed Ukraininas in last set, Plonytskiy only with 1 ace today (Holoven had 3), while Ziobrowski got 4 :D despite weaker serving Plonytskiy became MVP of whole tournament


    Best line-up (Awards):
    S: Riccardo Sbertoli (ITA)
    OP: Jakub Ziobrowski (POL)
    OH: Bartosz Kwolek (POL), Oleh Plonytskiy (UKR)
    MB: Alexey Kononv (RUS), Gianluca Galassi (ITA)
    L: Stanislav Dramov (BUL)

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    Quote from Bartek

    Best Libero from 8th Bulgaria really? Or because Championships were in Bulgaria? lol



    Because of Bulgaria being host of all this naturally. There is no sports reason why Dramov, one of the unimpressive liberos in the tournament, would get any close to an award. I really don't like it when the host just should be given something as consolation, these things should be earned instead.


    The Ukrainian fairytale didn't get a super happy ending but these silver medals put a brilliant epilogue to their entire tournament. I remember watching the final from the 2014 U19 World Beach Volleyball Championship when Plotnyskyi and his teammate Kovalov took silver, I mostly covered his results and it would never occur to me that such a transition to indoor volleyball could be fulfilled with such an ease at that age. Plotnytskyi's first serious appearance, to me at least, was during Lokomotiv Kharkiv's Challenge Cup battles against Calcit Kamnik last season. And yet I would even consider this U20 ECH a step further for him. A very likeable OH, would be curious to follow his next steps.


    As for the final, regardless of what Italy missed or couldn't do to reach the final, perhaps the two best teams met. Let's not discuss potential, the Ukrainians gained a very important momentum when they needed it even if they might not be technically as good as some other teams that finished below them. I can't say this Polish team is unbeatable but they were the best team in Bulgaria and won the gold deservedly.


    Now, as good as I found the tournament and some players among all, it would be hard to predict who could turn into a real pro volleyballer.