WARSAW – Chinese outside hitter Zhang Jingyin made his debut in Polish volleyball team Trefl Gdansk’s 3-1 defeat to Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie on Sunday.
The 23-year-old, who won a bronze with Zhejiang in the Chinese league and will play for Trefl Gdansk until the end of the Plus Liga season, came in during the closing stage of the first set which his team won 25-21.
Zhang earned one point for his side in the fourth set, while attacker Bartlomiej Boladz was the most prolific player of Trefl with 21 points.
Coach Igor Juricic admitted before the match that he had a lot of faith in Zhang’s skills but the new player would be given time to acclimate in the new place, and that he would get more chances in the coming matches.
The visitors coached by Michal Winiarski leveled it 1-1 after smashing Trefl 25-21 in the second set before they took full control to close the game in four sets.
Serbian Uros Kovacevic poured in 21 points for Aluron CMC, while Bartosz Kwolek added 11.
“Aluron CMC deserved to win the game. We should have played much better. In the first set we performed really well but then we stopped and they broke us,” Trefl player Bartlomiej Boladz said after the game.
Trefl Gdansk is in sixth place with 41 points, while Aluron CMC moved to second place, just behind leaders Asseco Resovia Rzeszow.