The women’s national team of Montenegro has been training for a second week in Herceg Novi, where they are preparing for the start of the CEV European Silver League. At the beginning of the camp, head coach Milorad Krunić had 13 players at his disposal, and now the team has expanded with the addition of Katarina Budrak and Dijana Vuković, who have finished their club season abroad.

“The team is back together after eight months, with a slightly changed composition. I joined after a very difficult season, with a lot of games, but I will try to rest as soon as possible and give my best to help the team to achieve the best result even though we have a younger squad. After one training session, the team left a positive impression on me, I like the atmosphere and I think that with good work we can achieve good results”, said Dijana Vuković, Player of Team Montenegro

The Montenegrin players are working hard to get in shape and prepare for one of the challenges coming up this year. In the home of the newly crowned national champions, Herceg Novi, Milorad Krunić’s girls are getting ready for matches with the Faroe Islands, Portugal, and Georgia scheduled from May 27 to June 16. After the end of their club seasons in Romania and France, Dijana Vuković from C.S.O. Voluntari and Bordeaux player Katarina Budrak are reunited with their teammates.

“After a week of rest, I joined the preparations of the senior national team and started training with them. The team is not too different from last year, so I can say that the positive work that started last summer continues, which I could feel right at the first training. The girls and staff are motivated, and we enjoy what we are doing. A little more than two weeks of hard work await us before the first game, and we hope for good results and, to begin with, that we will qualify for the Final Four of the Silver League. I only hope that we stay healthy, that there will be no injuries, even though most of us finished the club season right before the start of the national team camp,” said Katarina Budrak.

The roster will be full on May 18, when Danijela Džaković, from Italian side Assitec, will join the training sessions. Nikoleta Perović, in agreement with head coach Krunić, will miss the action in the pool stage of the Silver League due to a long and tiring season, as well as to nurse chronic knee problems. Nikoleta will be with the national team again next year.

As part of the preparations, Montenegro will play two test matches with the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 20 and 21 in Zenica.

OSCG President Cvetko Pajkovic is confident that the team will achieve good results

“It is working great. The national team is almost complete, head coach Krunić and his colleagues are increasing the pace of work. The national team has all the conditions to work in the best way. In addition to a good hall, there is also a gym. The positive interaction with the new head coach that started last summer continues this year. I was convinced that the atmosphere is excellent. I expect that the results will not be lacking. It is up to us to help make sure the preparations go according to plan,” said Cvetko Pajković, President of the Volleyball Federation of Montenegro.

The President of the Herceg Novi Municipality, Stevan Katic, together with his colleagues hosted earlier this week a delegation representing the women’s team of OK HERCEG NOVI, which won the double crown – National Cup and EPCG Superleague of Montenegro – without losing a single set throughout the whole season. It is a feat that is very rare, perhaps the only one in European Volleyball.

President Katic pointed out that by winning the double crown and achieving notable results on the international sports scene, Herceg Novi is slowly becoming the volleyball centre of Montenegro.

“I hope that in the coming period, Volleyball, in addition to water polo, will be the backbone of the development of sports in Herceg Novi. I am glad when I come to your matches and see a lot of spectators, but also that you nurture the youth in the club. The volleyball school you run is fantastic and this way, a good, quality, and healthy atmosphere is created for the future of a well-organised club. This is the only way to achieve long-term success,” said Katic, before stressing that OK HERCEG NOVI will have the support of the Municipality in the coming years as well.

Although this past season his team achieved more than remarkable results, it is only the beginning of a longer journey, and hopefully, there will be more such receptions in the future as well, promised the club’s strategist and head coach of the women’s volleyball team of Montenegro, Milorad Krunić:

“We will do everything, both at the national and regional level, to worthily represent the name of Herceg Novi that we bear. Surely the city will be proud of the girls and the Volleyball Club. I hope that in the coming seasons we will have even more opportunities for joint meetings, not only at the finals of domestic competitions, but at many other events as well.”

Club director Milan Ivanišević also addressed the attendees, pointing out that the previous year was a great experience for the club and the Igalo Sports Centre. He thanked for the support provided by the local administration. “I hope that we will cooperate even better in the coming years, that the Municipality will be with us and that we will jointly spread the name of Herceg Novi across Montenegro and Europe,” said Ivanišević.

The reception with the President of the Municipality was attended by club president Milan Ivanišević, coach Milorad Krunić and members of the coaching staff Sanja Muminović, Srđan Crnojački, and Nikolina Puhalo. Players Nikolina Lisičić, Ivana Dragović, Darija Chabonenko, Diana Balai, Lana Labović, Tijana Tvrdišić, Marija Tuševljak, Polina Liutikova, Lea Boban, and Melisa Cenović were present as well as the Secretary for Social Activities and Sports, Mitar Kisjelica.