The Argentine volleyball team was very close to make a splash in the Nations League but it was not to be. It was a five-set victory for Slovenia, the best of the regular phase, who survived a match ball againstmoved on to the semi-finals and will face Japan this Saturday at 3pm.
The team directed by Marcelo Méndez He had managed to get into the top eight of the competition almost by chance, as eighth place and thanks to a couple of other team results in the last round. But this Friday, those captained by Luciano De Cecco came out to play like the best at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Polandwhere the entire Final Eight is taking place.
With perhaps the best level shown so far this year, Argentina took the first set with a resounding 25 to 19, the product of a very high collective and also individual game. Slovenia rebounded in the second (25 to 17) but the National Team regained focus in the third and gave the Europeans their own medicine with another 25 to 17.
Argentina knew they had to decide things in the fourth, since a rival of Slovenia’s stature can wake up at any moment. And Méndez’s team had it ready with a match point (27 to 26) which could not be capitalized. As a result, the fourth quarter was 29 to 27 for the Slovenians, who showed all their power in it tie-breaker and they took it by 15 to 7.
Sanjuanino Bruno Lima broke it with 26 pointsfollowed by Luciano Palonsky with 18, Facundo Conte with 11 and Agustín Loser and Nico Zerba, both with 9. For Slovenia, the opposite Toncek Stern was unstoppable, with 31.
That being the case, The National Team equaled its best performance in the Leagueachieved last year although with a bigger defeat in the quarterfinals (0-3 with Italy), and left a great image facing the Olympic Gameswhere she will try to defend the bronze medal she won in Tokyo, or even aspire to more.
The Nations League will continue this Saturday with the semis: from 12 with Slovenia vs. Japan (beat Canada 3-0) and at 15 with Poland (3-1 against Brazil) vs. France (3-2 to Italy)The final will be played on Sunday at 3pm. All three matches can be watched online. Star+.
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