Rookies Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina scored their second win in the Italian SuperLega Credem Banca and rose above the relegation zone in the current standings. Their Serbian opposite Dusan Petkovic seemed to be fully up to speed again, after an injury early into the season kept him out of play for most of the first half of the regular season, and he spearheaded the team to their second consecutive victory and historic first one at home in Sunday evening’s closing match of the 13th leg.
Superlega 2024/25
Petkovic picks up speed, lifts Grottazzolina to second win and out of danger zone
Recap of weekend’s Italian SuperLega matches
Published 07:09, 23 Dec 2024
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The week before, Petkovic led Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina to their historic first win in the top division, on the road at Mint Vero Volley Monza, and now he did it again at home against Valsa Group Modena, producing a match-high 25 points, including three aces and a kill block, towards a tight 3-1 (27-25, 25-23, 23-25, 28-26) victory. Outside hitters Michele Fedrizzi (four aces and two blocks) and Bulgaria’s Georgi Tatarov (three blocks and one ace) added 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Canadian middle blocker Danny Demyanenko, who raised three kill blocks towards an 11-point tally, was nominated for the match Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. His counterpart Dragan Stankovic impressed with six kill blocks to finish with 12 points for Modena, while outside hitters Uladzislau Davyskiba of Belarus and Tommaso Rinaldi led the visitors with 21 and 14 points, respectively. Grotazzolina improved to 8 points and a 2-11 win-loss record and finally pushed themselves up from the bottom, now standing in 11th place after surpassing Vero Volley. Modena, on 15 and 5-8, are still in eighth place.
The remaining five matches of the weekend were won by the top five teams in the standings.
Defending champions and table leaders Sir Susa Vim Perugia claimed a 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-21) home victory over Sonepar Padova Padua, despite a valiant effort from the visitors backed up by 20-year-old Luca Porro’s six aces towards a match high 22 points. Tunisian opposite Wassim Ben Tarra led the Block Devils to success with 19 points. Sir remained undefeated on top of the standings on 35 and 13-0, while Padova are ninth on 10 and 3-9.
Back from their FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship appearance, where they finished runners-up with silver, Itas Trentino Trento managed a 3-1 (32-30, 19-25, 25-20, 25-15) away victory over Gioiella Prisma Taranto and continue to stand second, now on 30 and 10-2 with a game in hand. Prisma are in 10th place on 10 and 3-10. Outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto was the best scorer of the match with 21 points, including four aces, for the winners.
Third-placed Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza improved to 26 and 9-4 after a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-19) shutout of last season’s silver medallists Mint Vero Volley Monza, who dropped into the relegation zone, trailing bottom in 12th place on 7 and 3-10. Two Canadian strikers led the two teams in this game. Stephen Maar topped the charts with 15 points for Gas Sales, including four aces, while Arthur Szwarc scored 14 times for Vero Volley.
Fourth-placed Cucine Lube Civitanova are also on 26 points, but with a game in hand at 8-4, after mastering a 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-23) sweep of their home game against sixth-placed Allianz Milan upon returning from the Club World Championship. Another Canadian, Eric Loeppky, powered Lube with 14 points, while Allianz’s Belgian opposite Ferre Reggers delivered a match-high 18. The team from Milan stand on 21 and 7-6.
Rana Verona consolidated their fifth place, now four points above Allianz, on 25 and 8-5, after a 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-23) away victory over Cisterna Volley, who remain seventh on 15 and 5-7 with a game in hand. Malian opposite Noumory Keita topped the scorers’ chart of the match with 19 points for Verona.
All 14th-leg games will be played on Thursday, December 26.
SuperLega Credem Banca 2024-2025 14th leg:
Dec 26, 17:00 local (16:00 UTC): Sonepar Padova Padua v Gioiella Prisma Taranto
Dec 26, 17:00 local (16:00 UTC): Mint Vero Volley Monza v Cucine Lube Civitanova
Dec 26, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza v Cisterna Volley
Dec 26, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Rana Verona v Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina
Dec 26, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Allianz Milan
Dec 26, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Sir Susa Vim Perugia v Valsa Group Modena
