Giani (ARG) spikes against Wlazly, Plinski and Swiderski (POL)
Argentina
vs
Poland
0
-
3
Saitama, Japan, November 18, 2006: Poland recorded their second successive straight-sets victory in Pool A by beating Argentina at Saitama Super Arena on Saturday.
Following their 3-0 defeat of China on opening day, the eighth-ranked Poles downed the seventh-ranked Argentines 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 to improve their win-loss record to 2-0. Argentina slumped to 0-2.
The Poles made a blistering start and forced Argentina to call a TO at 6-2 in the first set.
Their serving was outstanding, as Mariusz Wlazly, Sebastian Swiderski and Lukasz Kadziewicz all pummelled the Argentine defence. And when Argentina could keep the ball alive, Wlazly, Swiderski and the outstanding Michal Winiarski sliced through the defence with a series of razor-sharp spikes.
Apart from the occasional winner from Marcos Milinkovic out wide and from Gustavo Scholtis and Alejandro Spajic at the net, the Argentines were clearly second best and still trying to shake off the effects of the previous day's shocker against Puerto Rico.
At 16-11, the Poles were in complete control, and Argentina needed to find some fight quickly if they wanted to salvage the set and challenge for the match.
A serve reception error from Swiderski allowed Nicolas Efron to spike a welcome winner for Argentina and close the gap to 16-14, but the Poles replied through Daniel Plinski at the net and some more rocket serves from Winiarski. Down 20-14, Argentina took cover from the Winiarski onslaught with a TO, and returned with an improved block and quicker ground defence to pull to within two at 22-20.
Swiderski, with a wristy firecracker on the left, brought up set point, and a bad serve reception on the next point gave Winiarski the simple task of clinching the opening frame 25-21.
Trying to maintain their output, the Polish spiking became wild in the second set, and their Argentine head coach Raul Lozano took them off trailing 6-3. Growing in confidence, Argentina reached the first TTO with a four-point lead when Milinkovic struck on the right side.
Argentina's back-court defence also tightened up, with Jeronimo Bidegain cutting off some stinging Polish attacks, and, trailing 11-7, Poland removed Winiarski from the attack.
A smart set from Efron and quick spike at the net from Gustavo Porporatto carried the South Americans to the second technical break with a lead of 16-13, and Milinkovic and Gaston Giani maintained the momentum on the restart, prompting a Poland TO down 19-15.
Poland were awarded a controversial point to close the gap to 21-20, and Milinkovic was summoned to the referee's chair for his protests, the Argentine captain insisting his status entitled him to speak and stress that two calls had gone against them, not one.
Wlazly pounded a magnificent winner, Plinski blocked Milinkovic to bring up set point at 24-22, and Argentine sub Leandro Concina spiked wide to hand Poland the second set 25-22, 2-0.
Swiderski's spectacular back-court defence allowed Winiarski to move Poland forward in the third set, and Argentina took a TO down 11-8. The Argentines were looking increasingly demoralised as the third set wore on, unable to stem the red flow of Polish attacks.
Wlazly, Swiderski and Winiarski were simply too hot to handle with their power and accuracy off the setting of Pawel Zagumny, and Plinski and Kadziewicz controlled the net.
With victory in sight, though, the Poles began to lose focus, and allowed Argentina to close to 22-18. After a TO, they returned to complete the job 25-22.
