Bogdanka LUK Lublin beats Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie 3-0 to win AL-KO Superpuchar Polski

The match in Częstochowa

Bogdanka LUK Lublin beat Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie 3-0 (34:32, 25:20, 25:18) in the AL-KO Superpuchar Polski on Sunday, 25 October, in front of more than 7,000 spectators in Częstochowa. The opening set was the only close contest and lasted about 40 minutes, with Warta holding more chances to win it. Warta lost three serves in a row late in that set and then gave up the last two points on attacking errors, according to its captain Mateusz Bieniek. Lublin's Wilfredo Leon served at 132 km/h and finished with three aces, while Mousse Gueye added 10 points for the winners.

Marcin Komenda0

Mateusz Malinowski16

Wilfredo Leon16

Ran Takahashi15

Mousse Gueye10

Aleks Grozdanow5

Marcin Komenda

0 points

Mateusz Malinowski

16 points

Wilfredo Leon

16 points

Ran Takahashi

15 points

Mousse Gueye

10 points

Aleks Grozdanow

5 points

Data from the article text

Lublin's response

Marcin Komenda, named the match's most valuable player, said the first set shaped how the whole match went. Lublin's head coach Stephane Antiga was more measured in his reaction.

“Even so, we were better.”

Antiga said he was proud of his side at the start of the season and singled out Ran Takahashi, who has settled in quickly, speaks English and has been helping the team on and off the court. Komenda said he had six free days after the national team season and still felt fit enough to play at full strength.

Warta's difficult start

Warta lost its opening match 0:3 to newcomer GKS Katowice, then beat ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle 3:1 on 21 October. Coach Michał Winiarski pointed to a lack of consistency and repeatable training as the main problem.

“The more long training sessions, the greater the regularity and repeatability. Right now it is clear that this is what we lack most.”

In the third set Winiarski brought on Kamil Rychlicki and Bartosz Kwolek to serve harder, and the serving did improve, but Warta could not hold its side-out. Tomasz Fornal, one of three summer signings alongside Jakub Kochanowski and Kamil Rychlicki, said the team simply needs more time together.

“For now we have been together for two weeks, so calmly. Team sport does not look like that, we need a little time.”

Voices from Zawiercie argue that the best players joined Winiarski late, after a long national team season. Warta had been given strong chances of a second straight title.

What comes next

Bogdanka sits top of the league table with two wins from two matches and a 6-0 set record, while Warta is eighth with three points, one win and one defeat, and a 3-4 set record. Warta's next match is at PGE GiEK Skra Bełchatów on 31 October at 18.00. Bogdanka plays GKS Katowice on the same day at 20.30.