Canada has also fallen! In the third round of Group A of the U-19 World Cup in Osijek, Croatian junior women won with a score of 3:1 (25:19, 30:28, 25:27, 35:33), after two hours and fifteen minutes of play. When three sets end with a difference, and such a big one, it is clear that this was a match of nerves.
The Croatian volleyball players started with maximum motivation, taking the lead immediately with 8:3. However, Canada is a serious national team that has been achieving results in a series. However, they had no chance against a spirited Croatia in the first set – our players were very concentrated and reached a score of 25:19.
The second set offered a much more uncertain fight, especially after the Canadian national team replaced the game organizer. Lana Francetić was injured in the Croatian team, who had to leave the field with the score 13:12. At the end of the set, Canada had a significant advantage of 23:19, but the Croatian volleyball players did not give up. With a very concentrated game, they reached a tie at 23:23, and then in the tense finale, they secured a 30:28 victory.
In the rest of the match, Croatia continued to dictate the pace, but at no point could they relax, regardless of their four- or five-point lead, because the Canadians were able to turn the score around with just a few consecutive points. Little by little, point by point, the Croatian national team players broke the resistance of their strong opponents, so Canada had to ask for a minute of rest with the score 17:13. That move turned out to be excellent, as was the replacement of the technician again, because they then forced Croatian selector Svetlana Ilić to ask for a minute of rest with the score 19:19. Nervousness was present on both sides, many mistakes were made, and in the end the Canadian women were happier and more skillful, winning the set with a 5:1 series with 27:25. However, Croatia had a match point with a score of 24:22. One missed serve and a block right after that brought the Canadians a tie, which they used to win the set.
And when it didn’t go any easier, it had to be harder. The “queens of stress” staged another drama in the fourth set, in which they seriously “hung”. The Canadian women gained an advantage on the serve, strengthened the block, and the Croatian volleyball players struggled with the organization of the game, which led to Canada’s lead of 18:14. Fortunately, our girls came back quickly and equalized at 18:18. Then the game of nerves followed again – series of mistakes, emotional moves, incredible defenses, blocks and great performances by girls who are not yet nineteen years old. In the end, they won the set happily and deftly, and deservedly, with a score of 35:33 and three new points.
In the end, selector Svetlana Ceca Ilić said:
Terribly difficult match, energetically and emotionally… I only hope that Lana Francetic is fine and that we will have her until the end of the World Cup. This victory is twice as valuable because the team achieved it collectively. I am very proud of them. I congratulate Canada, which played a great match. At one point, they found a rhythm, and it wasn’t very easy to play against them tactically. However, what makes me happiest is that we became a team that didn’t give up, even when it was most difficult. Congratulations once again from the bottom of my heart, and thanks to everyone for this match. I think we showed why we believe in ourselves.
In the end, the statistics show that Croatia was more effective in points in the attack (53–46) and had fewer errors (36–42), while blocks (11–14) and serves (9–11) went to Canada.
Saturday is a day of rest, and on Sunday the Croatian under-19 national team plays against Egypt at 6:15 p.m.
SOURCE: Croatian Volleyball Federation
