The second match of the Semi-final Tournament brought us face to face with the hosts, ACS Champions Sibiu, a decorated team and medallists at the last edition of the championship. What followed on court was a rollercoaster of moods, from the ecstasy of European-level volleyball to the hard reality of handling pressure.
A magnificent start: senior-level volleyball
The first set was, without doubt, the best set our cadets team has played this season. In a fiery atmosphere, our girls took the court without any inhibitions. We witnessed an electrifying exchange, with impossible digs and attacks placed to the millimetre.
We won that first set 25-23 after a show of strength that left even the home supporters speechless. The quality of play was comparable to a senior match, confirming that in its moments of grace Volleyball Forever can dominate any opponent in Romania.
The mental barrier and back to reality
Unfortunately, the colossal physical and emotional effort put into winning the first set took its toll. From the second set on, there was a mental “drop” that was hard to explain in the moment. The hosts, with their greater experience in high-stakes matches, took advantage of our moments of hesitation.
The final scores of the next sets (11-25, 13-25, 11-25) reflect less a difference in talent and more the difficulty of a young team, formed only 9 months ago, in staying “connected” after reaching a performance peak.
A necessary lesson
Although the final result hurts, this match remains an important milestone. It showed us that we have the level needed to beat the championship’s top forces, but it reminded us that top performance is built on consistency. To manage such moments we need more high-stakes matches, experience and patience. And we all need to believe (supporters included 😊) that we are a strong team, ready to take on anyone. The progress made in just a few months is more than obvious.
We leave this match certain that the first set is the “standard” we are aiming for. The road to sporting maturity is paved with lessons like this, and we are ready to learn from them.
