Michaela Mlejnkova spearheaded Czechia’s balanced attack as they swiftly defeated Argentina in straight sets, 25-15, 25-22, 25-16, to advance to the knockout semifinals of the FIVB Challenger Cup, Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Team captain Mlejnkova scored a game-high 14 points on 13 attacks and one block, along with 11 excellent digs.
With the win, Czechia moved to the semifinals where they will face the winner of the Alas Pilipinas-Vietnam quarterfinal match later in the day.
“It’s great because this was the hardest game, I think, of the competition. It’s a really important game because if you win, you stay; if you lose, you go home,” said the 27-year-old hitter, who plays for Olympiacos Piraeus.
“So for us, it’s really important and yeah, I’m so happy we won.”
It was a total team effort for Czechia, with Gabriela Orvosova and Helena Havelkova contributing 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, Magdalena Jehlarova added eight markers for the highest-ranked squad in the Confederación Sudamericana de Voleibol.
Katerina Valkova tossed 10 excellent sets, while Daniela Digrinova tallied eight excellent digs in the quick win.
The Czechs dominated the first set but faced resistance from the Argentinians in the second. Valkova, Orvosova, and Silvie Pavlova eventually joined forces late in the set to give their side a 2-0 advantage.
With the scores locked at 22-all in the second frame, Valkova kick-started the finishing run with a 1-2 play. Then Orvosova and Pavlova scored off a back-row attack and an ace, respectively.
Czechia went on to dominate the third set to secure the crucial victory.
On the other hand, middle blocker Candelaria Herrera led Argentina with seven attacks and three blocks for 10 points.
Elina Maria Rodriguez and Bianca Cugno added eight and seven points, respectively, in the loss for the 2024 European Golden League runners-up.
