Italy: Lube campione d’Italia for third time in a row! Perugia defeated in four sets in Game 4

For the 7th time in club history and 3rd time in a row, Cucine Lube Civitanova took Scudetto, the trophy reserved to the best team in the Italian Volleyball Championship.

However, this was probably the most difficult one and the most unexpected considering injuries of several pillars, including Osmany Juantorena, who didn’t play in the playoffs at all, and other infections the team coached by Gianlorenzo Blengini had to face this season.
But Lube proved to be stronger than everything, first during the regular season, then during the semi-finals of the 2021/22 SuperLega Credem Banca against Itas Trentino in which they trailed 0-2 in the series, and everything was concluded with the most difficult rivals, the regular-season absolute leaders Sir Safety Conad Perugia, who had dominated up to here. But Lube was the one that dominated when needed, up until the ultimate knockout blow at the right moment, in today’s Game 4 of the finals (3-0, partially 25:23, 25:16 and 25:21)

Before the match itself, a little bit of numbers. Out of all matches of the final series, Perugia had the last chance in this one tonight, and also in Game 2 at Eurosuole they lost in straight sets.
In Game 4, Perugia were in play only in the opening set when they had 12-9.
All perfect, on the other hand, for the hosts, in front of a sold-out venue with 3,843 fans.
It is basically a one-sided match this Game 4, with four players in double digit for Lube (Zaytsev, 13, Yant, 11, Simon and Lucarelli, 10 each) who was better in blocking, 12 vs. 8, and in attack, 44% vs. 38%. In reception, 49% positive and 31% perfect for the winners, vs 45% and 19%, and 5 aces (3 from Zaytsev) vs. 2.
Perugia couldn’t count on Rychlicki, author of only 6 points in three sets, while Leon suffered as well as 5 blocks.

About the match, balanced start until first break that bears the signature of Anderson and is worth the 6-8, and with Mengozzi who stretches 7-11. Simon and De Cecco, with two blocks on Rychlicki, level the score 14-14 and, at third block suffered this time at the hands of Lucarelli, and after two errors in serving, Rychlicki is replaced by Ter Horst. But the hosts continue: Lucarelli put down the ball of 17-15 and Anzani blocks Leon for the 20-17, and Simon blocks Leon, too. 23-19. Leon from the service line try to reopen the set. Almost, as Perugia recover from 23-20 to 23-22. The ball of a possible 23-23 is a missed ace, out really a few millimeters. Set closed 25-23, and heavy are the 9 points from Zaytsev, as well as Lube’s performance in blocking.

A great Lucarelli opens second set, and in fact he is the author of first break of Lube, first with 5-3, and then 7-5. He works in an excellent way in reception, in attack, and he finds even a block on Rychlicki. Simon, Zaytsev and Yant make the difference too and, on 13-10, coach Grbic is forced to ask for a time out. Leon from the service line try again a reaction, he finds an ace, but from the second line he suffered a moster block by Anzani, that is worth the 16-13, 17-14, with a Giannelli’s foul.
Bad, very bad Perugia, who suffered another block, Anzani again, this time on Rychlicki, as well as the counterattack from Yant. Ter Horst
replace Rychlicki, but he suffered Yant’s block, and Simon close the 23-16 thanks to the good serves from Anzani, and 25-16 is the clear final result of the set, ended with Anderson and Leon only at 25%, and Zaytsev, for Lube, after the 82% in attack in first set, collapsed at 12%.

Third e decisive set, with Yant protagonist from the very start, with the ball of 4-3 and the ace of 13-12. Anther foul by Giannelli is worth the 14-12. Anderson, however, starts a great comeback: with Mengozzi from the service line, is a partial of 0-5, from 14-12 to 14-17, with the lot of errors of the hosts. But the reaction is clear: with Yant in serving, Perugia suffer in reception, and Lucarelli can level the score without lot of difficult, 18-18. Grbic alternate both liberos, Piccinelli in reception and Colaci in defense, but Rychlicki sends out the ball of 21-20, and he is replaced by Ter Horst. Since then, a Lube in Scudetto’s version: Yant blocks Leon for 22-20, the same Leon is defended, and Simon signs the counterattack of 23-20. Final point bears the signature of Rychlicki, with an error from the service line.

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🏐| Superlega CredemBanca 2021/22 | Playoffs | FINAL

Best-of-five

| GAME 1 | May 1, 2022
• Sir Safety Conad Perugia – Cucine Lube Civitanova 2-3 (17:25, 28:26, 25:20, 17:25, 13:15) Serie: 0-1
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

| GAME 2 | May 4, 2022
• Cucine Lube Civitanova – Sir Safety Conad Perugia 3-0 (25:21, 29:27, 25:22) Serie: 0-2

| GAME 3 | May 8, 2022
• Sir Safety Conad Perugia – Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-1 (24:26, 25:19, 25:18, 26:24)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

👉🏼 GAME 4 | May 11, 2022
• Cucine Lube Civitanova – Sir Safety Conad Perugia 3-0 (25:23, 25:16, 25:21) Serie: 3-1
Cucine Lube Civitanova: De Cecco 3, Santos De Souza 10, Anzani 7, Zaytsev 13, Yant Herrera 11, Simon 10, Marchisio (L), Balaso (L), Diamantini 0. N.E. Sottile, Juantorena, Jeroncic, Kovar, Garcia Fernandez. Coach. Blengini.
Sir Safety Conad Perugia: Giannelli 1, Anderson 12, Solé 8, Rychlicki 6, Leon Venero 9, Mengozzi 5, Piccinelli (L), Travica 0, Colaci (L), Ter Horst 1, Plotnytskyi 0. N.E. Dardzans, Russo, Ricci. Coach. Grbic.

| GAME 5 | May 15, 2022
• Sir Safety Conad Perugia – Cucine Lube Civitanova
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