Brazil: Sesi kick off impressive comeback to defeat state rivals Campinas at start of 2021/22 Superliga, easy win for Cruzeiro

After the postponement of the inaugural match between Montes Claros and Brasilia due to bad weather that damaged the home team’s venue, the Superliga started with 2 games on the European night.

Sesi-SP took revenge on Vôlei Renata Campinas (without starting setter Demian Gonzalez) at the start of the new season in the Brazilian Volleyball Championship.
Sesi kicked off an impressive comeback on their debut, paying Campinas back for losing the recent semi-final of the São Paulo Championship.
The rivalry between these two teams had another exciting chapter which was decided in the tie-break.
Sesi ended Campinas’ 11-game run at home, making a turnaround from the final stretch of the fourth set. Sesi were 1-2 behind in sets and 15-20 in the fourth, before extending the game to the tie-break in which they triumphed 15-12. The teenage opposite Darlan Souza from Sesi (who played without Victori Birigui, replaced by Murilo) was the best scorer of the match with 24 points, including the two aces that closed fourth set.
The 19-year-old player replaced his brother and national team member Alan Souza, who went in Russia’s Kuzbass Kemerovo in the off-season.

In the first match under the command of head coach Filipe Ferraz, the legend with 11 seasons as a player, Sada Cruzeiro beat Farma Conde Vôlei/São José 3-0 at home.
The triumph of the Superliga powerhouse was even more exiciting since their rivals sensationally eliminated them from the playoff quarter-finals last season!
Actually, it is not the same team now. Vôlei Itapetininga was the club that kicked Cruzeiro off the title race in 2020/21, but now they merged into the new project with São José dos Campos. Wallace was the top scorer of the match with 14 points, and Rodriguinho MVP.

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| 2021/22 Superliga – Regular Season Round 1

| October 23
• Sada Cruzeiro – Farma Conde Sao José dos Campos 3-0 (25:20, 25:20, 25:21)
Top Scorers: not avaible.
MVP: Rodrigo Leao “Rodriguinho”.

• Renata Campinas – Sesi SP 2-3 (25:23, 22:25, 25:23, 25:27, 12:15)
Top Scorers: not avaible.
MVP: Guilherme Emina “Guiga”.

| October 24
• Funvic Educacoin Natal – Goias Volei 3-0 (25:14, 25:19, 25:15)
• Apan/Eleva Blumenau – Azulim/Gabarito/Uberlandia 3-1 (25:17, 25:17, 17:25, 25:22)

| November 10
• Vedacit Volei Guarulhos – Fiat/Gerdau Minas 1-3 (16:25, 27:25, 24:26, 23:25)

Postoponed until further notice: Montes Claros America Vôlei – Brasilia

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| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
Sada Cruzeiro 3
Sesi SP 2
Renata Campinas 1
Funvic Educacoin Natal 0
Goias Volei 0
Apan/Eleva Blumenau 0
Azulim/Gabarito/Uberlandia 0
Vedacit Volei Guarulhos 0
Fiat/Gerdau Minas 0
Montes Claros America 0
Brasilia 0
Farma Conde Sao José dos Campos 0

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