Bogdanka LUK Lublin reached the top of PlusLiga. “Wilfredo Leon definitely makes a difference.”

The competition between Bogdanka LUK Lublin and Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie ended with the second tie-break of the season. Last Saturday, the Polish runners-up managed to get back at Wilfredo Leon and company, winning 3-2 on the opponent’s territory. Bogdanka LUK won in Zawiercie in exactly the same ratio.

PlusLiga: Marcin Komenda assessed the hit of Bogdanka LUK – Aluron CMC Warta

Saturday’s match was very hot, especially in terms of the power of the serve on both sides of the net. Finally, the two leaders of the ranking of the best servers in PlusLiga met on the pitch: Wilfredo Leon (Bogdanka LUK) on the one hand, and Karol Butryn (Aluron CMC) on the other. Ultimately, both as a team and individually, the attacker of the team led by coach Michał Winiarski turned out to be better.

The result started with 1-0 for the Zawiercie team, then 1-1 and 2-1 for the guests, and finally, for the third time, the guests triumphed in five games. The match was very exciting, in a great setting in the sold-out Globus Hall. Tomasz Wójtowicz in Lublin.

– In the sets we lost, i.e. the first and third, Zawiercie played brilliantly in service. It was hard for us to oppose it. Generally, the first four sets were characterized by the fact that whoever served, won. I think that was the reason for the big point difference in each set. However, in the tie-break we had the ball at 4-0, I think that if we had finished it, the tie-break could have turned out differently. Unfortunately, we didn’t finish it, Zawiercie returned to the game and won the tie-break. You can be most upset or sad about this fifth set, because the rivals played great volleyball in the remaining sets. To sum up, this is sport, this is volleyball. Every ball counts, especially against such classy teams as our today’s rival from Zawiercie – said the captain of Bogdanka LUK after Saturday’s hit.

Marcin Komenda also assessed his perspective on the actual fight of the Lublin club for the highest goals. It is worth recalling that for Bogdanka LUK this is her fourth season in the ranks of the national elite. However, in Lublin they want to take further, bold steps.

– I think we aspire to play for these high goals. Maybe today Zawiercie had a little more experience. Because they have been in this top for several seasons now. We are trying to reach the top. This season shows that we have a chance. With teams such as Zawiercie, Warszawa or Jastrzębie, you have to use all your opportunities to win sets. It was similar today. However, it seems to me that we are moving forward, because we lost against Jastrzębie 0:3, and against Zawiercie only 2:3, so the next time we face one of these tycoons, we will be the winners. And this will show us that we have joined the top group – said the playmaker, who was called up to the national team by Nikola Grbic in 2024.

Wifredo Leon makes a difference. In Lublin they have their star and team leader

Looking at the statistics of the match, Leon scored as many as 22 points for the hosts. Mateusz Malinowski, another Bogdanka LUK scorer, added 11 points. Leon attacked and took the most. It is clear that in terms of the pitch, the Polish representative takes on as much as is expected from a star.

His presence also means that in Lublin they can even think about playing for medals. Although this is certainly still a long and winding road, mainly due to competition.

– I am very pleased that we are close to the top. Did I expect this? It’s hard to expect, because sport is really unpredictable. The transfer of Wilfredo Leon certainly changed the face of our team a bit. He gave us such an incentive that allows us to think about fighting the greatest players, because he is a world-class fighter and he definitely makes a difference. I’m very happy that we are in this place. We would like to be even higher, but we have to do our job with a small spoon and humbly. I hope that the future will be positive, Komenda rightly noted.

Looking at the results in matches against the best, Bogdanka LUK recorded one victory, 3:2 in Zawiercie. In addition, there was a 2-3 home defeat against Aluron CMC, a 1-3 loss against PGE Projekt in Warsaw and a 0-3 loss against Jastrzębski Węgiel on home soil. However, the Lublin team was able to defeat the guests from Kędzierzyn-Koźle 3-0. It therefore seems that Wilfredo Leon and company as a whole will be dangerous until the very end, in the context of trying to get into the game for a historic result.

So far, the best result in the club’s history was fifth place in the 2023/24 season.