Neftochimik 2010 qualified for the semifinals in efbet Super Volley, after winning the second match of the Burgas derby against Deia. Ivan Stanev's team prevailed with a 3:1(21:25,25:22,25:21,25:21) victory in "Boycho Branzov" hall and concluded the quarterfinal series with a 2-0 record, having convincingly won the first match 3-0. Thus, Neftochimik secured a semifinal clash with Lokomotiv Avia.
The hosts from Deia offered serious resistance and by no means gave up without a fight. In the first set, they took the lead and managed to close it out after more stable blocking play, as well as by capitalizing on a higher number of unforced errors from Neftochimik.
In the second set, Deia started better again, but this time the visitors managed to turn the tide. Neftochimik significantly improved their positive reception, which also led to higher attack efficiency. Additionally, the visitors' block also started working better, and the team leveled the score.
In the third set, Neftochimik took the initiative right from the start and did not allow any fluctuations until the end. The team again had an advantage in attack, and to this, they added a crucial point from a serve, solidifying their control over the match.
The fourth set proved to be the most contested. Deia did not allow their opponent to pull away until the middle of the set and remained in the fight almost until the very end. The hosts also recorded 2 aces against none for the visitors during this period, and also had a minimal advantage in blocking. Nevertheless, as in the previous two sets, better attack efficiency proved decisive for Neftochimik's ultimate success.
The top scorers for the winners were Kaloyan Balabanov and Ricardo Junior with 19 points each. Martin Krastev added 10 points, and Stoyan Dimitrov finished with 16 for the ultimate success. For Deia, the top scorer was Erion Bajrami with 19 points, Valentin Bratoev scored 18, and Hadi Shourkabi concluded with 12 points.
Team Statistics
| Metric | Deia | Neftochimik |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 12 | 12 |
| Attack % | 40% | 44% |
| Attack Points | 47 | 65 |
| Positive Reception | 28% | 46% |
| Aces | 3 | 2 |
| Service Errors | 12 | 16 |
| Opponent's Errors Points | 27 | 17 |
The key to Neftochimik's victory is clear in the numbers. The visitors did not have superiority in blocking, and even lagged in the number of aces and made more service errors, but compensated decisively with their attacking play. The difference of 65 to 47 attack points, as well as significantly better positive reception
— 46% against 28%
— show why Neftochimik controlled the flow in the decisive moments. Deia stayed in the match through blocking and points from opponent errors, but this was not enough to stop the more effective team offensively.
