MATCH INFO

Niteroi, Brazil, August 5,2011 – In the last match of the day, Belgium won their second match of the FIVB Volleyball Men´s Junior World Championship 2011 against Bulgaria, for 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23) at Caio Martins gymnasium.

Belgium opened play in Pool H with a 1-0 record (2-2 overall) and is tied with Germany atop the pool.  Bulgaria opened at 0-1 and is 0-4 overall.

Bulgaria led Belgium in attacks (53-51) and blocks (12-5), but Belgium held the edge in service aces (6-5) and scored 35 points on Bulgaria errors while committing 20.

Belgium’s wing spiker Francois Lecat led all scorers with 20 points on 16 attacks, three blocks and one ace. Opposite Sam Deroo added 19 points on 16 spikes and a match-high three aces.

Wing spiker Nikolay Penchev led Bulgaria with 18 points on 14 attacks, three blocks and one ace. 

Bulgaria took a 6-1 lead in the first set before Belgium began to come back, finally tying the score at 12-12. The score was still tied at 22-22 when  Belgium scored twice to reach set point. Bulgaria’s Ventsislav Trifonov held the loss off with a strike down the middle. But Belgium’s Deroo ended the set with a left-side spike.

Belgium took an 8-5 lead at the first technical timeout (TTO) of the second set. With Belgium still leading 10-8, Dries Heyrman scored on a left-side attack, giving the serve to setter Stijn D’hulst, who served for five straight points to give Belgium a 16-8 lead at the second TTO. Later, with Belgium leading 20-12, Bulgaria scored four straight points, including two kills and a block, but Belgium ended the rally and went on to take the set.

Bulgaria held an 8-3 lead to open the third set. Belgium closed the gap to 8-5 and the teams traded points. Bulgaria led 16-13 at the second TTO. Belgium scored twice coming out of the break behind the serving of Tomas Rousseaux to pull to within one, but Bulgaria called timeout and scored on the next play. Belgium again pulled to within one point at 20-19, but Bulgaria’s Nikolay Penchev ended the threat with a spike and Ventsislav Ragin added a block to give Bulgaria a 22-19 lead. Bulgaria reached set point at 24-21. Belgium scored when Bulgaria’s next serve went long. But Belgium served the ball out of bounds to hand Bulgaria the set.

Belgium to an 8-6 lead to open the fourth set and still led by two at the second TTO 16-14. But Bulgaria did not give up and eventually tied the score at 21-21. Belgium came back with an attack by Anshel Ver Eecke and Bulgaria’s next spike attempt went out of bounds. Deroo’s attack from the left side gave Belgium match point. Bulgaria’s Plamen Draglev scored with a tip but Deroo put an end to the match with a final left-side attack.