Italy really seized the night in the second competition day scheduled for the 3rd leg of the CEV Indesit Champions League. Copra Nord Meccaniza PIACENZA reversed the outcome of last year’s final match defeating Russian armada Zenit KAZAN in four sets, thus securing the lead in Pool D and a right boost for the coming weeks. After a difficult opening of the season, Colussi Sirio PERUGIA – defending champion of the ladies’ event – traveled to Russia to shock Zarechie ODINTSOVO with a thrilling five setter that ended up in favor of the Italians in spite of the absence of Chinese superstar Hao Yang, who did not get the visa to enter Russia in due time. Italy celebrates two more victories, with TRENTINO Volley continuing an impressive streak in its first Champions League ever and Volley BERGAMO demolishing Romania’s Metal GALATI in Bucharest. What a night to remember for the Italian volleyball community!
Herewith a detailed recap of all the matches played tonight, with a busy schedule, but definitely delighting for the taste of European die-hard volleyball fans!
Men
Pool A
In Pool A, thanks to the support of the 2,500 and more fans Iraklis THESSALONIKI defeated 3:1 (25-21, 25-21, 24-26 , 27-25) Turkey’s Fenerbahce ISTANBUL. That was the third victory for the Greeks in as many matches they have been playing so far. The hosts started the game determined to control the operations from the very beginning. With good blocks and many solutions in attack, Iraklis took the lead at 10-8 and later on sped up at 16-15. The coach of Fenerbahce made some changes and the guests with Billings leveled at 16. But again Iraklis with good blocks for Smaragdis and Kravarik, and positive attacks with Konstantinov and Nilsson, took lead back at 23-21. Another block for the Greeks and a mistake for the setter of the visiting team finished the set 25-21 for THESSALONIKI. The things were different in the second set. The visiting team started powerful and took the lead (11-14) for the first time in the game. Iraklis got closer at 14-15. The two teams were closed in the score until 20-20. After that Iraklis improved the reception and with better solutions in the attack sailed to 23-20. With Nilsson in a perfect day Iraklis scored point nr. 24, whilst Billings served out and the set was over. In the third set Fenerbahce advanced up to 9-12. The coach of Iraklis changed Akhrem with Gkortsaniouk and Iraklis equaled at 14, but the guests cruised ahead again at 15-16. Once again the block gave turned out to be Iraklis’ weapon and the Greeks went up to 22-21. The score was 23-23, and 24-24 with the two teams fighting for the last points. Coskovic and veteran Grbic granted the final 24-26 for the Turks. At the beginning of the fourth set, as the score stood at 7-5 for the hosts, Grbic injured his leg and his position in the court was overtaken by Batur Emre. After that, the job for Iraklis was very easy. With Markus Nilsson as best scorer Iraklis took lead at 18-13. The visiting team reacted and leveled at 23. Billings made the 23-24. With an attack performed by Konstantinov Iraklis answered and made the score even once again. An ace from Tischer made the 25-24 and Billings answered for the 25-25. Nilsson scored again and an attacking error of Billings made the final 27-25 for the Greeks.
Pool B
Russian Dinamo MOSCOW won a third match in a row, this time quite easily and in straight sets against Czech Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE (25-13, 25-16, 25-21). Even in spite of the fact that the first point in the match was for the guests, Dinamo fully controlled the game since the very beginning, gradually increasing the lead in the scoreboard. As the score stood at 8:4, Pavel Kruglov entered the court – probably the head coach of Dinamo, Daniele Bagnoli, had decided to check up a second diagonal option, but at the same time not risking immediately that player with the starting six. Dinamo excelled with the block and thus secured a real rupture in the points count and closing it at 25-13. In the second set Evgenij Sivozhelez replaced Dante, however this did not have any impact on the course of the match – the Muscovites completely dominated even though their margin did not exceed 3-4 points. The hosts increased then a bit their lead and with Dmitry Scherbinin on the court, Dinamo was featuring even a sort of experimental line-up. As for the Czech club, Argentinean Bonini was regularly blocked and Sladecek did not perform well too. Dynamo’s volleyball players were much better in all skills and areas and the result of that was fixed with an embarrassing 25-16. The scenario of the third set differed from the previous two sets just a bit. After the guests scored five points in a row in the opening of the set, Dinamo bounced back and leveled the score at 20. In spite of all efforts of the Czechs, Dinamo celebrated the final 3:0 seizing the set at 25-21.
Pool C
Belgium’s Knack Randstad ROESELARE knew the importance of the game against Crvena Zvezda BEOGRAD but it was difficult to run away from the Serbian team in the beginning of the first set. Nikic scored 8-6 and Verhanneman brought the score on 17-14 with a pipe attack. BEOGRAD scored through the middle with Bojovic and Rasic. But with Guilherme at the serve Knack Randstad moved from 22-18 up to 24-18. Nikic finished the set with an ace. In the second set the difference was made after the second time out. The score went from 13-7 and 16-12 to 21-12. BEOGRAD missed a lot of serves and Verhanneman and Tuerlinckx scored a lot. The third set was already played at 8-3. Top scorer Dokic tried to keep his team in the game but Tuerlinkcx finished the set and match in attack at 25-19.
Pool D
In the remake of last year’s final in Lodz Copra Nord Meccanica PIACENZA defeated Russia’s Zenit KAZAN and took its revenge. The final score of the match was 3:1 for the Italians (22-25, 25-23; 25-22; 25-22). Setter Dante Boninfante was named MVP of the match. As we already recalled, Zenit KAZAN defeated PIACENZA 9 months ago in the final match of the CEV Indesit Champions League, so tonight there was a kind of rematch all European fans were eagerly waiting for. The guests led the way for the first half of the opening set (13-16). PIACENZA tried to react: Paolo Bravo stamped a mighty block (14-16), but the Russians spread their margin thanks to a mistake of Italian libero Durante (14-18). Piacenza was not yet knocked out, Marshall scored with a smash, then Meoni found a good block. Rak scored an ace for the provisional 21-21. The set was really hardly fought but at the end Zenit managed to seize it: Stanley (5 points in this set) , and Bovduy (with his blocks) demolished – at least at that moment – the hopes of the hosts (22-25). PIACENZA dominated the second set thanks to Hristo Zlatanov (16-12). Novica Bjelica scored an important ace and Piacenza defended its advantage (20-16). Zenit reacted again (21-21) but Zlatanov smashed again (6 points in the set) and the set came to an end with a Russian mistake while being at the serve (25-23). Copra played very well also in the opening of the third set (16-11). Abrosimov blocked Marshall - who played tonight as opposite – but the Cuban born star brought his team to a successful end of the set (8 points for him in this section of the game). Bjelica scored the last point with an ace (25-22). PIACENZA struggled back in the fourth set and finally leveled the score at 21. Zlatanov smashed and PIACENZA was ready to celebrate that victory over the Russian armada.
Pool E
TRENTINO Volley easily outplayed aon hotVolleys VIENNA 3:0. The home match played tonight was the second ever played at the PalaTrento in the history of this competition for TRENTINO Volley. The home team did not have particular problems to get the third win in a row in the League Round. Due to the great serves (Piscopo made 3 aces) and to the efficient middle blocker Riad (6 blocks) VIENNA went soon in trouble. During the whole match TRENTINO led very quickly and kept the leadership all through the sets, showing great kills in offence: Riad had 71%, closely followed by his teammate Kaziyski (67%). Moreover, the team as a whole displayed a great efficiency (69%). Brazilian middle blocker Riad and American diagonal player Evan Patak were the top scorers with 12 points, closely followed by Piscopo, who scored 11 points. MVP of the match was Garcia Pires Riad with a wonderful performance.“It was a useful match in spite of the result - stated the local coach Radostin Stoytchev - we played a good game. This match was a good test for our team because we faced our opponent with spirit and intensity. The difference between the two teams is remarkable. I’m happy and satisfied with the debut of Riad”. “The gap between the two teams is important, we tried to play at their same level, but only in the first set we succeeded thanks to our serves. Our aim is not to defeat Trento, because it’s too strong for us, we want to arrive third in Pool E” – said the head coach of aon hotVolleys, Claudio Cuello. In the next match of the CEV Indesit Champions League, TRENTINO Volley will face again aon hotVolleys, this time in the Austrian capital, next December 17 at 8.20 pm.
In that same Pool the Slovenian team ACH Volley BLED won its second home match against France’s BEAUVAIS Oise. The home team was much better tonight in Ljubljana and closed the match at 3:1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-15). That is the second victory for ACH Volley in this competition in the 2008/09 season. The most effective player of the match was Mitja Gasparni with 22 points and for the French Bartik scored 16 points. The Slovenian champions started better the third game in this year’s CEV Indesit Champions League. But after having been leading 13-11 the guests made a turnabout with a partial result of 7-0. At this time it was Aleksandar Milovojevic who was on the serve, but his good serves were not the only reason for the provisional lead of the French team. The players of ACH Volley had a lot of problems with blocking, setter Angel Perez made the first block for this team at 16-19. The home coach Glenn Hoag made some changes during the set but after having taken the lead, BEAUVAIS secured the set at 25-21. The starting six for the home team in the second set was the same as the one finishing the first, with setter Perez, blocker Delano Thomas and receiver Andrej Flajs, who all had problems with injuries before this match. In this part of the match the Slovenian team improved its block and serve and on the wings of very loud spectators closed at 25-16. The victorious point was scored by Andrej Flajs, who last season played in Beauvais but returned to Slovenia this past September. The home team started well also in the third set, Jasmin Cuturic made some advantage with his serves and ACH Volley was leading 7-3. BEAUVAIS tried to catch the Slovenian team but ACH Volley was in full control of the game. The home coach Hoag offered a short opportunity to the second opposite in the ACH Volley team, Alen Sket, in this set as well. For the youngest player in the home team this was the debut in the CEV Indesit Champions League. Before this game ACH Volley and Sasa Gadnik terminated the contract, which was consensual. Sket had a short opportunity to feel the spirit of this elite competition, and his teammates were – after winning the third set 25-18 – aware of the opportunity to win their second match in the Main Phase. ACH Volley also took the lead in the fourth set. They were very combative and the spectators in the Tivoli Hall created an excellent atmosphere and the home team simply could not lose that set. The first match point was won by a block by the young Sket for the victory at 25-15. “The guys of ACH Volley that came into the game at the end of the second set, the new setter, blocker and receiver, did a really good job, but that was not the only reason for the victory of the home team. ACH Volley also served well,” were the words of the captain of BEAUVAIS Miloslav Javurek. On the other side Jasmin Cuturic explained: “We usually have problems in the third set but this time that happened in the first. As we already said before the game, we have not played a lot of difficult games. But after losing the first set, we closed our ranks. If we play like this also next week in France, I think we can win there too.”
Pool F
Polish champion PGE Skra BELCHATOW defeated Iskra ODINTSOVO 3:0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-17), winning their second consecutive game in the Group F of the CEV Indesit Champions' League and got much closer to the promotion to the 1/8 Finals. Flying on the emotions of over 9 thousand fans in the Palace of Sport in Lodz, the Polish champion stopped stropped the Russian opponent with the amazing blocks. Skra players felt in Lodz like being at home, crushing Iskra in straight sets, losing only points. A win in Lodz enabled the Polish champion to move in front of Iskra and take the leadership in Pool F. “The team you had seen in Lodz - it was not Iskra. We started well, led 13:10, but then Mariusz Wlazly started to serve very hard and we lost our confidence” stated Zoran Gajic, Iskra coach. After a series of 6 serves "made by Wlazly" it was 16:13 and PGE Skra did not lose such a lead. After a tight second set, in which brilliant killing blocks let the Polish champion prevail, PGE Skra demolished the Russian team in the final set. After Dawid Murek hit Giba from the service, it was 19:11 and it was clear that 9,300 fans in the Lodz Palace of Sport would have continued their feast for long hours. “We just could not stand the pressure of the fans. I would like to congratulate the organizers who managed to bring so many fans and to the players of Skra, who served and blocked very good. They played perfect, we were absent from the field. But next week in Odintsovo you will see a completely different Iskra. We will take a revenge” Zoran Gajic stated. “We had too many problems on our side of the net. It was very difficult to play in such an atmosphere and versus such an opponent” - Russian captain Pavel Abramow stated. Belchatow' players were in complete
opposite mood: “It was our day! We played perfectly. Tactically we did everything in a very good way. We are very happy after our best match of the season' - PGE Skra captain Mariusz Wlazy said. Wlazly scored 13 points and was second best scorer of his team, while Dawid Murek scored most (14). The best scorer of the match was Jochen Schoeps, who killed 17 out of 34 attacks. But Daniel Plinski was the MVP, voted by experts. The PGE Skra middle blocker scored 11 points, making 4 killing blocks. “The block was very important, as our great serving. We did our best, we are extremely happy' - Daniel Castellani stated. Skra's coach was happy, because his team made 14 killing blocks, enabling Giba to score only 9 points. Iskra had only 2 killing blocks in all the match!
