Just two days after the disappointing Champions League performance in Prague, Maaseik had to return to work. The opponent on duty was Guibertin, who lost track after a strong start. The last three league matches were lost, including a 3-0 blowout on the Achel field last weekend. Yet Maaseik was on his guard, because on matchday three a 3-1 defeat on the field of Guibertin, of all places, heralded a minor crisis.
Coach Fulvio Bertini had one change in store: Iribarne was allowed to start for the first time in a long time, Bartos moved to the hopping corner. Set one, the Maaslanders boarded with ease. Cox and co mercilessly punished the visitors’ high level of errors. The second inning also seemed to be going well for Maaseik, but at 18-14 things suddenly went wrong. Van Walle served to 18-19, after a few Limburg misses the boards were actually level.
The Guibertin players had a great time as usual. The contrast with a more businesslike Maaseik was sometimes great. But when middlemen Fornés and Polak started to get involved in the debates, the home team was suddenly at a standstill again. Axis saw stars and barely reached the 10-point mark in set three. A second recovery did not occur, thanks to Cox and Iribarne, who forced the decision with several aces in the final phase of the fourth inning.
The 3-1 victory puts Maaseik in a provisional second place, two points behind leader Roeselare, which will not play this weekend. Other competitors Aalst and Haasrode-Leuven are also enjoying a free weekend.
Sets: 25-16, 22-25, 25-11, 25-20.
Maaseik: Polak, Iribarne, Hanzic, Cox, Vanker, Fornés. Libero: Perin. Arrived in: Lindqvist, Thys, Berkhout.
Guibertin: Huysegoms, Vande Velde, Hofmans, Godaert, Van De Voorde, van Walle. Libero: Dumont. Arrived in: Nevot, Malisse, Vanhelmont.
( rkb)
© Dick Demey