“I cried, but not because of the pain”

“I cried, but not because of the pain”

It happened in the first set of Steelvolleys Linz-Steg’s 3-0 home win over Sokol/Post on Tuesday when Andrea Duvnjak suddenly held his right knee while lying on the ground after an attack. “I immediately thought to myself: Sch…”, said the 20-year-old, who was aware in the second that the “Best of 5” final series that had just started was probably over for her. “I cried, but not because of the pain,” said the woman from Linz. An MRI examination brought sad certainty yesterday: the anterior cruciate ligament has torn. There is hardly any way around an operation with at least a six-month forced break. “It’s a blow to Andrea’s neck and to the team,” said Linz coach Roland Schwab. It was also the coach who insisted that Duvnjak not be taken to the substitutes’ bench after the incident, but immediately to the dressing room. “I’m so sorry for Andrea, but next to Lilly (Lisa-Marie Hager; note) she is the heart of the team – if she sits on the side injured and sad, it does something to the team in this crucial phase of the game.” , Schwab had thought of the psychological dynamics. It worked, the steel volleys won the first set 25:21 after the failure, which was caught by Bojana Ubiparip, among others.

Based on ex-Linz women

Duvnjak didn’t last long in the dressing room, where she was being looked after by the team doctor. “I just wanted to get out and support my team,” said the national team player, who, supported by ex-steel volleys Nikolina Maros and Victoria Deisl – she is leaving Schaffhausen after this season – returned to the substitutes’ bench. There, Duvnjak also loudly got involved in her team’s timeout, which could have caused a small emotional boost for the second set (25:18).

It may sound absurd, but shortly after the blocker was injured, she had to think of her father. Less because he cheered in the stands, but because he always says that in addition to her volleyball career, she should definitely pursue her education as an elementary school teacher, “because something like that can happen to you very quickly,” said Andrea Duvnjak, pointing to her knee.

For the other finals – the second follows on Saturday in Vienna – Duvnjak will be difficult to replace. “Bojana’s quality isn’t far from her, but she’s still lacking a lot in terms of experience,” said Schwab.

Source: Nachrichten

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