Following one of the most significant achievements in Montenegrin women’s volleyball, another remarkable outcome has been recorded.

The Montenegrin men’s U19 volleyball team triumphed over Bulgaria with a score of 3:2 (25:20, 25:21, 23:25, 21:25, 16:14) during the opening match of the Balkan Championship in Banja Luka.

Led by Coach Dejan Radić, the team had a strong advantage and maintained a solid rhythm against a squad that finished second in the European U17 Championship in Podgorica, 2023. However, they had to put in significant effort to secure their initial win in the tournament, which came after a grueling match lasting over two and a half hours.

The Balkan Championship kicked off excellently in Banja Luka, despite Bulgaria initially leading 7:2. Radić’s team equalized at 11:11 and took control at 14:13, maintaining their lead to finish the first set comfortably at 25:20.

Continuing with their impressive momentum, Montenegro dominated the second set from the start, holding off Bulgaria until the end. With poise and experience, Montenegro took a commanding 2:0 lead with a score of 25:21.

It appeared that Montenegro would achieve a sensational 3-0 victory, as they gained an early advantage in the third set. However, Bulgaria caught up at 5:5, took the lead at 7:6, and the Montenegrin team found themselves trailing.

Although they pressed for a quick finish, Bulgaria managed to claim the third set 25:23, reducing Montenegro’s lead to 2-1.

The fourth set mirrored this pattern, with Bulgaria elevating their play and establishing a four-point advantage, tying the match at 2:2 and forcing a decisive tie-break.

During the tie-break, the Montenegrin side fiercely battled one of Europe’s top U19 teams, leading 3:1 early on. After a timeout, Bulgaria turned the score around to 5:4 and secured a +2 lead at 8:6.

Despite the odds stacked against them, the ‘reds’ refused to back down. Overcoming a significant 13:7 deficit, they rallied with six consecutive points to tie the score at 13:13, saving a match point and delivering two crucial blocks to clinch a fantastic victory.

This win was achieved through cohesive team effort, with standout performances from experienced players – Luka Lojić scoring 24 points, and Vuk Stanojevic adding two fewer.

Filip Milosavljević and Uroš Konatar each contributed nine points. Following this exhilarating victory, Radić’s squad will face another formidable foe – the Serbian national team, set to clash in the second round tomorrow at 1 PM.

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