The playoffs in the women's Demax+ league started with expected victories for the leading teams. Champion Maritsa (Plovdiv), as well as CSKA, CPVK, and Levski, took the first step towards a place in the semifinals after successes in the first quarterfinal matches.
Maritsa without problems against Slavia
The reigning champion Maritsa (Plovdiv) began its title defense with a convincing victory over Slavia. In "Stroitel" hall, the Plovdiv team prevailed 3:0 (25:16, 25:14, 25:18) and took a 1-0 lead in the series.
Ahmetcan Erşimshek's volleyball players dictated the pace from the very beginning of the match. A strong serve made it difficult for the opponent's reception and allowed the hosts to quickly build a comfortable lead in the first set. In the next part, the "yellow-blues" continued to control the game, and a series of points at the end finally broke Slavia's resistance. The third set followed a similar scenario – after an even start, the champions gradually pulled away and closed the match without pressure.
The top scorer for Maritsa was Aleksandra Kitipova with 16 points, and Viktoria Koeva added another 13 for the win.
The second match of the series is on March 19 at 18:00 in the capital's "Panayot Pondalov" hall.
CSKA dominates against Maritsa 2022
CSKA also started the playoffs with a convincing performance. Yulia Ivanova's team defeated Maritsa 2022 by 3:0 (25:12, 25:18, 25:19) in "Vasil Simov" hall.
The "Army women" demonstrated aggressive play from the very first rallies. They dictated the pace throughout the match and did not allow the opponent to get into rhythm. Strong attack and stable defensive organization helped the hosts convincingly win all three sets.
The second match between the two teams will be played on March 19 at 18:00 in "Stroitel" hall. With another success, CSKA will qualify for the semifinals.
CPVK took the lead against Minyor
CPVK also started its participation in the eliminations with a victory. Evelina Tsvetanova's team won against Minyor (Pernik) by 3:0 (25:9, 25:22, 26:24).
The first set was entirely dictated by the hosts, who dominated in all elements and gave the opponent only nine points. In the subsequent sets, Minyor offered more serious resistance, with the third set being particularly contested, but CPVK showed greater stability in crucial moments.
The rematch between the two teams will take place on March 19 at 19:00 in Pernik.
Levski turned around against Dragoman
Levski's women's team started its participation in the Demax+ league playoffs with a victory. Head coach Denislav Dimitrov's volleyball players defeated Dragoman 3:1 (23:25, 25:20, 25:16, 25:15) in the first match of the quarterfinal series, played in "Levski Sofia" hall.
The match started with a more successful performance from the guests. After an even start, Dragoman managed to pull away in the middle of the first set and held their lead until the end to take the lead in the score. However, the "Blues" reacted quickly and gradually took control of the game in the second set, equalizing the score.
In the next two sets, the team from the capital asserted their superiority. After even opening minutes in the third set, Levski made decisive scoring runs and pulled ahead. In the fourth set, the hosts already dictated the pace and achieved the final success without serious hesitation.
The top scorer for the winners was Venesa Radeva with 16 points, including 2 aces and 6 successful blocks. Slavina Koleva added 15 points, and Elena Kolarova finished with 14. Levski demonstrated significant superiority in serve and block, executing 18 aces and 12 block points.
Quarterfinal series schedule
| Pair | First match | Result | Next match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maritsa (Pd) – Slavia | Maritsa host | 3:0 | March 19 |
| CSKA – Maritsa 2022 | CSKA host | 3:0 | March 19 |
| CPVK – Minyor (Pernik) | CPVK host | 3:0 | March 19 |
| Levski – Dragoman | Levski host | 3:1 | March 19 |
The results show a clear superiority of the favorites in three of the four pairs. Maritsa, CSKA, and CPVK achieved clean victories and are just one step away from the semifinals. The most contested series appears to be between Levski and Dragoman, where the capital's team had to turn the tide of the match. The second matches on March 19 can determine the participants in the Top 4 then, unless one of the series reaches a third decisive match on March 23.
