UVC Ried: “Deserved” Defeat in the first home game against Waldviertel

After the confident 3-0 win against TJ Sokol Vienna at the start of the season, the UVC McDonald’s Ried welcomed the Union Waldviertel in their home Volleydome on Sunday evening. UVC coach Manuel Leitgeb had already expected a game on equal terms, which ultimately came true. In a close game in which the set lead changed three times, the Rieders ultimately had to admit defeat 2:3 in sets.

Open exchange of blows

The Lower Austrians, who started the season with a defeat last week, literally took the UVC by surprise in the first set. The team around captain Tomek Rutecki had a hard time finding its way into the game and clearly had to leave the first period to the guests with a score of 25:15. However, the UVC was able to improve as the game continued – and driven by the home crowd. So they won sets two and three (25:22, 25:19).

Especially in the third set, the Rieders dominated the action on the field in this turbulent match, which continued in a similar manner. Unfortunately for the Innviertel team, the tide turned in the fourth set in favor of the guests, who found their way back into the game thanks to their strong service and equalized in the fourth set.

In the all-important fifth set, the two teams exchanged blows. With the score at 8:8, the momentum was on the side of the Lower Austrians, who scored five points in a row and ultimately left the field as winners with a score of 15:10. “In sets two and three we were able to deliver our usual performance and played good volleyball”said Coach Leitgeb after the game. “In the end, we couldn’t do anything to counter the guests’ strong service. It was a deserved victory.”

The Ried team continues next Saturday (6 p.m.) away to the reigning champions and current league leaders Hypo Tirol. Against the long-standing league croissants, one only wants to – and can only – surprise in a positive way.