That came as quite a surprise. Hundreds of expectant fans, including Linz Mayor Klaus Luger, made the pilgrimage to the Kleinmünchen sports middle school to celebrate the third steel volleyball championship title (after 2019 and 2021). But nothing came of it (for the time being). The women from Sokol/Post, who had absolutely no chance in the first two finals (0:3 each), became a party fright.
The Viennese celebrated a 3:1 (22:25, 25:19, 25:18, 25:23) away win after 107 minutes and reduced the best-of-5 series to 1:2. The decision will not be made until tomorrow (8.15 p.m., ORF Sport+) in the Posthalle, and the Upper Austrians do not want to risk an all-or-nothing match on Saturday in Linz.
“We weren’t that stable in the assumption and not really in the game. We have to clean up and analyze ourselves now,” said Steg coach Roland Schwab, who wants to say goodbye to the women’s national team with the sixth title in the sixth year at the club . But Sokol/Post does not give up, morale in the team is high. “We didn’t expect them to be so strong. Maybe we were a bit nervous, the fighting spirit was a bit missing,” said Steg middle blocker Andrea Duvnjak, who tore a cruciate ligament in the first final.
Yesterday, the 20-year-old in the black club jersey cheered on her colleagues from the bench. Ultimately without success. After winning the first set, the thread broke. “I’m still firmly convinced that we’ll win the title. We just have to step on the gas now,” emphasized Duvnjak.
Premiere title for “Northerns”
In contrast to Steg, the “Northmen” of the Union Waldviertel made short work of it and secured the first championship trophy in the club’s history with a 4-0 win in the best-of-7 series against Aich/Dob. “I’ve been working on this thing for 37 years – from the lower league to this gold medal,” said Waldviertel manager Werner Hahn enthusiastically.
Source: Nachrichten
