The Montenegrin men’s volleyball team faced a defeat against Finland, ending the match 3:0 (25:18, 25:10, 25:23) in their final game of the tournament in Podgorica. After four rounds in the CEV Golden European League, they managed to secure just one point. Finland showcased their prowess, solidifying their position as one of the leading contenders for the top spot in the upcoming finals in Brno.

The initial phase of the match at the “Verde” complex displayed an inconsistent performance from our national team, which could have been more impressive if not for an abundance of errors. Coach Jevtić called a timeout early on, but the break worked in Finland’s favor. They quickly extended their lead with a 5:0 run, going ahead 12:6. However, thanks to strong serves from Vasilije Milenković, Montenegro closed the gap to three points. An ace from Đurović brought the score to 14:13, but that was the peak for Montenegro. Despite their diligent defense, Finland’s resilience proved too much, pulling ahead to close the set at 25:18.

The promising start of the second set belied the reality that our players would only manage to score 10 points. Finland quickly established a 7:4 lead, which Montenegro managed to cut down to 6:7, but they could only add four more points by the end, repeating their attacking errors. Finland took the set decisively with a 25:10 score.

In the final segment of the match, our team responded with better resistance, playing their best volleyball. Finland maintained a lead throughout, reaching a maximum advantage of +7 at 17:10. But Montenegrin players rallied back to level the score at 21:21. Following a timeout by the Finnish coach, their block tightened, earning them two match points. Nonetheless, Montenegro put up a fight, ultimately finishing the match with 23 points.

“The first two sets were easily taken by Finland, but in the third, we demonstrated more energy and commitment to our game and to ourselves. We managed to keep the final set close. I believe if we could take a set from such quality teams, it would greatly benefit us going forward. We have a week to address our shortcomings and prepare for our upcoming matches in North Macedonia,” said Coach Ivica Jevtić post-match.

Yet again, the standout scorer for our team was captain Jovović, who netted 10 points, followed by Peruničić with nine points, who played more in the third set, and Hadžisalihović with seven. Finland’s success was led by Noa and Luka Martila, each contributing 12 points.

After final preparations in Podgorica, the young Montenegrin squad is set to travel to North Macedonia for the final tournament of the CEV Golden European League in Strumica. They will compete against the host team (June 22) and the Israeli squad (June 21). In these concluding matches, they aim for their first victory as they fight for survival in the Golden League.

The final tournament, featuring the top three teams from the overall standings, along with host team Czech Republic, will take place on July 5th and 6th.

MONTENEGRO – FINLAND 0:3 (18:25, 10:25, 23:25)

Podgorica: SC “Verde”. Attendance: 130. Referees: Bernard Valentar (Slovenia), Slobodan Kovačević (Montenegro).

Montenegro: Dubak, Ćinćur 3, Peruničić 9, Hadžisalihović 7, M. Joksimović 1, A. Joksimović (libero), V. Milenković 3, R. Milenković, Lečić, Lojić 1, Jovović 10, Rovčanin, Đurović 3, Radević (libero).

Coach: Ivica Jevtic.

Finland: Ronkainen (libero), Ivanov 6, Tinisma 10, Valima, L. Martila 12, Hapaniemi 5, Jokela 6, Heiskanen, Pozo Ernendes, Savonsalmi 1, Raspinpera (libero), Lindkvist 1, N. Martila 12, Kaunisto.

Selector: Oli Kunari.

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