World League 2003, Pool C, Week 3, Game 2: Serbia-Montenegro - Bulgaria 2-3 (28-26, 23-25, 20-25, 26-24, 9-15)
Podgorica, June 1 - In an exhausting five set match that lasted almost two hours, Bulgaria managed to beat reigning Olympic and European champions.
With long rallies for each point, hosts won the first set. Bulgarian answered with 25-23 in the second set. The third set started with a complete loss of concentration of the Serbo-Montengrin team. Many mistakes they made, but after the introduction of Jokanovic, they improved, but not enough to beat the Bulgarian team. Long rallies in the fourth set brought the spectators to their feet, but the "blue" team could not put up a good defense. In spite of what was expected, at the end, the hosts took away the set-match ball of the Bulgaria and won the set. Tie-break ended in 11 minutes in favor of the well-concentrated and patient guests.
World League 2003, Pool C, Week 3, Game 1: Serbia-Montenegro - Bulgaria 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 25-22, 18-25, 15-13)
Belgrade, May 30 (fivb.ch) - The first at home match for Serbia and Montenegro was a battle of attrition from the opening whistle in a game characterized by excellent rallies and good blocking. Serbia and Montenegro were 16-13 in front at the second technical time-out. Then the home team delivered a series of well conceived passes and good concentration but Bulgaria came back strongly to challenge them at 24-24 and swords were drawn for a battle royal. Serbia and Montenegro then clinched the next two points and went one set up.
Bulgaria excelled in the second set with good reception and blocking but some inspired aces from Vladimir Grbic gave them the lead at the first technical time-out. Again Bulgaria came back strong, exhibiting a strong passion to win. Tension rose on both sides of the net as the lead switched back and forth before Bulgaria took the lead and with good defense leveled the sets 1-all.
The "Blues" turned up the heat in the third set with "Ivan the Terrible" Miljkovic delivering his characteristic missiles and blocking effectively and in unison with Geric. Bulgaria were far from defeated and Konstatinov and Ivanov combined well to try to turn the score around. It was Serbia and Montenegro that took the set 25-22 after a string of service errors on both sides.
Bulgaria looked very confident in the fourth set and Ivanov showed his best on the block. Many service errors by both sides allowed the score to change hands frequently. The Blues began losing points in the block and struggled with their reception and Bulgaria struck for a clear 25-18 victory to level the set score.
The home side gathered some strength for the fifth set, but the Bulgarian team was stubbornly two points ahead when Boskan came in to reverse Serbia and Montenegro's fortunes. With this help they extinguished a four point lead by the Bulgarians and left the court victorious.
