Club Worlds MVP Lopez stars in Sada Cruzeiro’s triumph

The only match in the Brazilian Men’s Superliga on Sunday was a highly-anticipated encounter between two teams that have dominated the tournament in the last decade.

Led by 2021 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship MVP Miguel Angel Lopez, Sada Cruzeiro Volei defeated Volei FUNVIC Natal in straight sets (25-20, 25-22, 25-18) in front of their fans at the Ginasio do Riacho, in Contagem.

The 24-year-old Lopez was the top scorer of the match with 15 points. He demonstrated his efficiency from the service line by registering four aces to go with ten kills and one block. He also won the Cuban duel in the match as FUNVIC Natal’s outside hitter and his compatriot Luis Elian was limited to 11 points (nine kills, two blocks).

“I had a good run at the service line at the end of the second set that was important for us,” said Player of the Match Lopez. “We were upset to have lost in the semifinals of the Brazilian Cup last week, despite preparing well, and hopefully this victory will boost our confidence. We have just a few days before our next match and have to be ready for it.”

Middle blocker Isac Santos, a Tokyo Olympian, also had a good match with 14 points. The 31-year-old veteran was unstoppable at the net, converting 11 of his 12 offensive attempts in points (92%), and adding two blocks and one ace.

“We played really well and this was a very important match for our growth,” he said. “We had a full week to prepare for this match and we were able to do what Filipe (Ferraz, the head coach) wanted from us. We started a little slow but quickly got into a good rhythm and limited our number of mistakes. There are some tough matches ahead of us and the goal is to continue improving.”

Ranked second in the Superliga with 35 points (12 wins, two losses), Sada Cruzeiro return to the court on Wednesday to face tenth-placed Brasilia Volei. On the same day, eighth-placed FUNVIC Natal (15 points, five wins, nine losses) will have another tough opponent to deal with in league leaders and recently-crowned Brazilian Cup champions Fiat Gerdau Minas, the only undefeated team in the country with 14 wins (42 points).