The first tournament of the National Cadets Championship (U17) ended at the ANL Hall in Florești, giving us three days full of volleyball, useful conclusions and clear markers for the work ahead. In a group that also includes Academia de Volei Marius Ciortea, CSS Turda, LPS Cluj-Napoca and ACS Pîrv (who sat out this round), our team recorded two clear wins and one defeat from which we have a lot to learn.
LPS Cluj: the “almost” that shows the psychological barrier is starting to give way ⚡
The opening match, against LPS Cluj-Napoca, was once again the maturity test of the tournament. LPS remains the benchmark opponent in the region, the team we are constantly trying to catch up with and against whom we have often had mental blocks.
We are not looking for excuses, nor are we dressing up the defeat in empty celebrations. The reality on the court shows that the technical and tactical gap has narrowed considerably, and the psychological barrier separating us from LPS is starting to crack. We are getting closer to the day we cross that line, and the rigorous approach in training gives us confidence that the moment will come — either in the next cadet rounds or in the junior championship.
Clear wins over ACM and CSS Turda: rhythm, focus and the whole squad on court 🚀
In the other two matches of the tournament, our girls did their job with professionalism and care, winning both 3-0.
The match against Academia Marius Ciortea started evenly. The first set was a tight battle of attrition, with the opponents putting up stubborn resistance and pushing the set to 22. Our players’ experience and composure made the difference at the end of the set, and once the ice was broken the rhythm of the game changed completely. In the second and third sets Volleyball Forever took full control at the net and on serve, closing the match decisively at 13 and 10.
The match against CSS Turda was approached with the same tactical rigour from the first to the last whistle. The girls set the tempo, kept constant pressure on the opponents’ build-up and managed every set calmly, winning them at 15, 18 and 13.
Beyond the scoreboard, the most important gain from these two matches was that our coaching staff could use the whole squad. Every player got valuable minutes on court, took responsibility on serve or in defence and contributed directly to strengthening the group dynamic.
We look at the process, not just the scoreboard 💜✨
We end the first tournament with two comfortable wins, but also with a very clear picture of what we still need to polish. Progress doesn’t come overnight and it isn’t a straight line, but this team is heading in the right direction.
We keep working in training, correcting the small details that tipped the balance in the match against LPS, and we stay focused on our goals for this season!
