“We deserved the victory,” said Azerbaijani national team player Marharyta Stepanenko in a statement to Idman.biz.
The powerful hitter recently claimed the Israeli championship with Ashdod Maccabi and shared her thoughts following the title win. She explained that the team had prepared intensely for the final:
“We had previously lost to Hapoel Kfar Saba in the cup matches. That gave us extra strength and motivation. As a result, we beat them and won the gold medals.”
Stepanenko, whose contract has expired, also spoke about her future:
“I’ve received offers from clubs in different countries, but I don’t want to rush. I’ll decide on what’s best for me. I still have time to think it over.”
However, the national team might have to move forward without her in the near future. Stepanenko revealed that she won’t be able to join Azerbaijan in the upcoming Golden European League matches due to injury:
“I got injured in our last game. I might have broken my leg, but I’m not sure yet. I’ll get an MRI in Azerbaijan and will be flying to Baku soon. After that, I’m planning to spend some time with my family in Ukraine.”
For context, Stepanenko’s team secured the championship title by defeating Hapoel Kfar Saba in all three games of the final series.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
