Italy: match ball for Perugia, Verona and Civitanova! All quarterfinal series 2-0

After a great game played yesterday in which Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza tie quarterfinal series with Valsa Group Modena winning the game at tie break, second act of 2025/26 Superlega CredemBanca quarterfinals has been completed today with the remaining three games, two of them ended at tie break, and with all winners with a 2-0 lead in best-of-five series.
Regular season winners Sir Susa Scai Perugia struggled more than expected on the field of a combative Vero Volley Monza, recovering from a 2-1 to eventually close the game at tie break, 2-3 (25:22,23:25, 25:21, 19:25, 11:15).
The hosts started strong, led by their home fans and youngsters Diego Frascio and Zhasmin Velichkov, who closed the game with 27 and 17 points, respectively. However Perugia replied by winning second set, with third and fourth one that followed similar patterns, until decisive tie break, won by defending European Champions with a clean 11-15, led by a lethal Kamil Semeniuk above all from the second line, and middle blocker Roberto Russo, decisive in key moments. Polish outside hitter earned also MVP honors leaving the court with 22 points to his name, 60% in attack, 63% positive receptions and 1 block, while Russo closed the game with a sumptuous performance adding 16 points, two blocks and 78% in attack.
Game 3, which could close the best-of-five series will be played at Perugia’s PalaBarton on Wedensday, March 18.
Cucine Lube Civitanova, sixth-placed in regular season, performed a majestic performance also taking 2-0 lead in quarterfinal series after destroying
defending Champions Itas Trentino in just three sets, (25:22, 25:14, 25:20), with a great performance in attack and blocking.
Mattia Bottolo earned MVP honors with 13 points to his name including 2 aces and 2 blocks, while Aleksandar Nikolov left the court as top scorer after another amazing performance tallying 19 points through 65% in attack, 1 ace and 1 block. Jordi Ramon was the only player in double digit with 13 points, 1 ace and 1 block for a Trento that suffered the absences of Alessandro Michieletto (until the end of season) and Daniele Lavia (out for sure also in Game 3).
A first set in which the hosts started strong led by Bottolo (6 points and 75% in attack), also seasoned with 2 aces at 20-16, but suffered Trento’s comeback until 21-20. Excellent performance also for Nikolov, 7 points only in first set, and 1 block.
Second set balanced until 15-13, and then the visiting side collapsed, thanks to a Lube unstoppable in attack with a 71% of team performance and in blocking, with 5 points from this elements. Pablo Kukartsev entered the court for a couple of points, including the one of 23-13, and Wout D’heer closed the contest with an ace.
Civitanova dominated also third set until 12-6, but then Trento reacted putting down the point of 15-14 but, after a moment of down, managed to close set and game with a point from Nikolov and the ace from Kukartsev.
Game 3 will be played also on Wednesday, March 18, at Trento’s BTS Arena and, if Civitanova win, will face the winners of the clash between Allianz Milano and Rana Verona, with the latter that performed a perfect comeback from 2-0 on the field of the rivals, 2-3 (27:25, 25:20, 16:25, 22:25, 15:17).
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
Setter Micah Christenson earned MVP awards leading his teammates with precision and experience, with Noumory Keita who led the charge with 21 points to his name through 48% in attack and 2 aces, while Darlan added 18.
Ferre Reggers left the court with as many as 33 points through 62% in attack, 1 ace an 4 blocks, but he wasn’t enough as his team now will have to try a desperate attempt to reopen the series on Wednesday, March 18 too, on the field of a too strong rival.
On Tuesday, Valsa Group Modena will face Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza and then the series will move to Piacenza on Sunday while, on Wednesday, Sir Susa Scai Perugia and Rana Verona at home, and Cucine Lube Civitanova in Trento, will have the chance to close the contest and progress to semifinals.

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🏐| 2025/26 Superlega CredemBanca Playoffs | Quarterfinals

Gara 1 – Game 1

Saturday, March 7 2025
• 21.00 (Local Time) | Sir Susa Scai Perugia (1) – Vero Volley Monza (8) 3-1 (21:25, 25:20, 25:16, 25:17) Series: 1-0

Sunday, March 8 2025
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Itas Trentino (3) – Cucine Lube Civitanova (6) 1-3 (21:25, 25:27, 26:24, 17:25) Series: 0-1
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Rana Verona (2) – Allianz Milano (7) 3-0 (25:16, 25:15, 25:21) Series: 1-0
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Valsa Group Modena (4) – Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza (5) 3-2 (23:25, 22:25, 25:20, 25:16, 17:15) Series: 1-0

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Gara 2 – Game 2

Saturday, March 14 2025
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza – Valsa Group Modena 3-2 (18:25, 25:17, 28:30, 25:21, 18:16) Series: 1-1
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

👉🏼Sunday, March 15 2025

• 17.00 (Local Time) | Vero Volley Monza – Sir Susa Scai Perugia 2-3 (25:22,23:25, 25:21, 19:25, 11:15) Series: 0-2
Vero Volley Monza: Zimmermann 3, Velichkov 17, Mosca 5, Frascio 27, Rohrs 14, Beretta 10, Pisoni (L), Mapelli 1, Scanferla (L), Larizza 1, Alimenti 1. N.E. Atanasov, Ciampi, Knipe. Coach. Eccheli.
Sir Susa Scai Perugia: Giannelli 3, Plotnytskyi 3, Solé 8, Ben Tara 15, Semeniuk 22, Russo 16, Gaggini (L), Dzavoronok 9, Colaci (L). N.E. Argilagos, Cvanciger, Loser, Ishikawa, Crosato. Coach. Lorenzetti.

• 18.00 (Local Time) | Cucine Lube Civitanova – Itas Trentino 3-0 (25:22, 25:14, 25:20) Series: 2-0
Cucine Lube Civitanova: Gargiulo 6, Loeppky 0, Nikolov 19, D’Heer 4, Boninfante 4, Bottolo 13, Bisotto (L), Orduna 0, Balaso (L), Kukartsev 6, Duflos-Rossi 0. N.E. Hfaiedh, Podrascanin, Tenorio. Coach. Medei.
Itas Trentino: Sbertoli 1, Bristot 2, Resende Gualberto 5, Faure 4, Ramon 13, Torwie 4, Pesaresi 0, Garcia Fernandez 3, Laurenzano (L), Graziani (L), Bartha 2, Acquarone 0. N.E. Boschini, Sandu. Coach. Mendez.

• 19.00 (Local Time) | Allianz Milano – Rana Verona 2-3 (27:25, 25:20, 16:25, 22:25, 15:17) Series: 0-2
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
Allianz Milano: Kreling 2, Otsuka 14, Masulovic 1, Reggers 33, Ichino 13, Caneschi 7, Catania (L), Lindqvist 0, Rotty 0, Di Martino 3, Corbetta (L). N.E. Masajedi, Barbanti, Benacchio. Coach. Piazza.
Rana Verona: Christenson 5, Mozic 13, Zingel 10, Sani 5, Keita 21, Nedeljkovic 4, D’Amico (L), Gironi 0, Planinsic 0, Staforini (L), Glatz 0, Vitelli 4, Ferreira Souza 18. N.E. Valbusa. Coach. Soli.

Gara 3 – Game 3

Tuesday, March 17 2025
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Valsa Group Modena – Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza 1-3 (17:25, 25:17, 20:25, 28:30) Series: 1-2
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

Wednesday, March 18 2025
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Itas Trentino – Cucine Lube Civitanova
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Rana Verona – Allianz Milano
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Sir Susa Scai Perugia – Vero Volley Monza

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