The Serbian women’s volleyball team is out of the World Championship and has handed over the champion title, as they were defeated by the Netherlands in the round of 16 with a score of 3:2 (27:25, 26:24, 22:25, 20:25, 15:10).
What a shame! Serbia was losing 2:0 in sets, by practically gifting both to their opponents with their own mistakes. Then, the Dutch women were on the verge of victory, and Serbia played an unreal final phase, where they managed to create a small miracle and eventually reach the fifth set.
However, in the fifth set, the Netherlands played better and achieved a victory and a place in the quarterfinals, where they will face Japan or Thailand.
Serbia entered the round of 16 severely weakened, as they were without their best, and the world’s best, volleyball player, as Tijana Bošković was on the bench. However, she could not play, she was only there as a support for her teammates. Serbia is not the same team without her, unfortunately.
The Dutch women started the match better, took an early two-point lead, but Serbia came back after good serves and moves by Aleksandra Uzelac, who took the biggest burden on herself due to the absence of the injured Tijana Bošković.
It was an even game until the final phase, and then Serbia gained a three-point lead and was one step away from winning the set. Our chosen ones were leading 23:20, and then they made a series of mistakes, an incredible one in the rotation on the court, so they gifted a point to the Dutch women. Later, they did not use two set points, but the Netherlands did use their first one, also after a mistake by our team and a ball hit out, so Serbia practically gifted the first set to their opponents.
Again, in the second set, the Netherlands started well, they made a two-point difference, but then Serbia came back with serves, first Vanja Bukilić had good serves, and later Aleksandra Uzelac, so Serbia got to 14:10 and a solid lead.
However, after that, the Dutch women started with risky serves, and our volleyball players failed to receive several serves, and the opponent very quickly got a three-point lead and led 19:16.
The Netherlands kept the lead, although Serbia managed to reduce the difference to one point after one incredible point. Still, the Netherlands quickly got two set points, but Serbia managed to come back. Another set point followed, which the Dutch women used.
In the third set, Serbia also had a two-point lead, but with mistakes, they allowed the opponents to come back again. However, Aleksandra Uzelac played several great points, and in the end, Serbia reached two set points in a dramatic finish, the first of which they used after a good block.
The Netherlands also had the advantage in the fourth set, leading 9:6, and then Zoran Terzić did a crucial thing. He called a time-out and told his players to start taking risks with their serves. This immediately resulted in a 5:0 run for our volleyball players, Mirković served great, and then Aleksandra Uzelac, who was unstoppable in the fourth set. Serbia then kept and increased the lead until the end and finally won it 25:20 and earned the fifth set.
However, our players entered the fifth set unfocused, nervousness appeared, and there was a misunderstanding in several actions, and the Dutch women got a big lead, which they kept and secured a spot in the next round.
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Source: Telegraf, Photo: FIVB