In a nail-biting showdown in Katowice, the ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle volleyball team secured victory in the Polish Super Cup, triumphing over Jastrzębski Węgiel with a final score of 3:2 (20:25, 24:26, 31:29, 25:19, 15:12). This marks ZAKSA’s third Super Cup win in the history of the competition.
The AL-KO Polish Volleyball Super Cup, as it is officially named this season, pitted the reigning champions from Jastrzębie-Zdrój against the Polish Cup winners from Kędzierzyn-Koźle. Throughout the 2022/2023 season, these teams had faced off in various high-stakes matches, including the Champions League final (won by Kędzierzyn-Koźle) and the PlusLiga playoff final (clinched by Jastrzębski Węgiel).
Superpuchar jest nasz ‼️ Zabieramy go do domu 🏆
— Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@ZAKSAofficial) November 3, 2023
Partnerem ZAKSY jest Kędzierzyn-Koźle – Miasto Możliwości pic.twitter.com/wHNpeAwtaN
The match kicked off with a strong start from Jastrzębski Węgiel, leading 5-0 early on. Despite efforts by ZAKSA’s coach Tuomas Sammelvuo, Jastrzębski Węgiel continued to dominate, reaching an 8-1 lead. Although ZAKSA managed to narrow the gap towards the end of the first set (22:18), Jastrzębski Węgiel secured the win confidently.
The second set saw both teams fiercely battling it out. ZAKSA took the lead at 22:20, but Jastrzębski Węgiel fought back, leveling the score at 22:22 and then 23:23. A crucial point from Ryan Sclater during a serve put ZAKSA ahead at 25:24, leading to an intense set that ended with Kędzierzyn-Koźle’s victory.
The third set initially favored the team from Silesia (Jastrzębski Węgiel), leading 12:7, 16:11, and 19:13. However, Kędzierzyn-Koźle rallied back. Thanks to David Smith’s serve, they closed the gap to one point (18:19). ZAKSA’s momentum continued, with Rafał Szymura breaking through the opponent’s block and Tomasz Fornal scoring an ace. The teams remained neck and neck, tying at 21:21. Daniel Chitigoi, a substitute player along with Przemysław Stępień and Andreas Takvam, scored a crucial point directly from his serve, bringing the score to 21:22.
Once again, the outcome was decided in an extra points battle. Although Jastrzębski Węgiel had a match point, ZAKSA seized the opportunity, winning the set at 22:24. In the tie-breaker, ZAKSA emerged victorious with a score of 14:12, thanks to an impressive straight attack by Bartosz Bednorz.
This win was especially significant for ZAKSA, as Jastrzębski Węgiel had defeated them in the previous two Super Cup matches held in Lublin. Prior to this victory, ZAKSA had clinched the Super Cup in 2019 and 2020. The Super Cup matches have been regularly contested since 2012, with PGE GIEK Skra Bełchatów claiming the title four times, and Asseco Resovia Rzeszów, Trefl Gdańsk, and Projekt Warszawa each winning once.