Bukovynka Chernivtsi has placed themselves on the verge of their first-ever volleyball championship after securing a decisive 3-1 victory against Balta in the second match of the finals series. The win gives them a commanding 2-0 lead, with Bukovynka now needing just one more victory to claim the title.
Unlike the previous match, Sunday's encounter saw Balta claim the opening set 25-18. However, Bukovynka responded with overwhelming dominance in the following sets, taking them 25:17, 25:11, and 25:18 to seal the victory in front of 400 enthusiastic fans at the 'Little Paris' Complex in Chernivtsi.
P. Dzyuba led the scoring charge for Bukovynka with an impressive 18 points, while Fedchuk and Pavlyk contributed significantly with 16 and 14 points respectively. Luchko added 10 points to the winners' tally.
Despite the defeat, Balta's H. Kyrychenko delivered a strong performance with 12 points. The team's setter Alla Politanska also stood out with an exceptional all-around game, scoring 8 points from various positions – 5 in attack, 2 from blocks, and 1 from service.
Coach Gariy Yegiazarov's Bukovynka squad demonstrated resilience after dropping the first set, completely controlling the rhythm of play throughout the remainder of the match.
According to Statbet, teams that take a 2-0 lead in best-of-five finals historically win the championship more than 90% of the time, putting Bukovynka in a very favorable position.
The series now moves to Balta for the third match on Saturday, April 5, where Bukovynka will have their first opportunity to secure the championship. Should Balta defend their home court, the fourth match would follow shortly after, with the visitors needing just one win from the two away fixtures to make history.
