The Italian League rookies swept Cuneo on the road and left the bottom of the standings
Published 11:55, 17 Jan 2026
San Giovanni players celebrate the victory that took them out of the bottom of the standings (Photo: LVF)
Omag-Mt San Giovanni In Marignano took an important step in their fight to avoid relegation in the 2025-2026 Lega Femminile Serie A1 Tigotà on Saturday, securing their second road win in the season and leaving the bottom of the standings.
The Italian League rookies traveled to face Honda Cuneo Grand Volley in the seventh leg of the second round of the regular season and are set to return home reinvigorated after triumphing 3-0 (25-17, 32-30, 25-13).
The three points earned in Cuneo helped San Giovanni take the first step to avoid relegation in their first season in the Italian elite, as they have now left the bottom of the standings, getting to 14 points (four wins, 16 losses) and passing Bartoccini-Mc Restauri Perugia, who have 12 (four wins, 16 losses) for 13th place. In order to continue in the country's first division in 2026-2027, they need to move at least another spot up - Wash4Green Monviso Volley are currently the first team outside the relegation zone with 15 points (five wins, 15 losses).
San Giovanni have been showing some improvement in the second round of the regular season, having accumulated seven points in as many matches - they got the same total in 13 encounters in the first half of the season.
One of the main reasons for their recent higher level of play, Chinese outside hitter Zhuang Yushan, who was signed halfway through the season, was their leading scorer against Cuneo, tallying 19 points (13 kills, four aces, two blocks), and earned the match's MVP award. Brazilian outside hitter Edinara Brancher and middle blocker Sara Caruso contributed 15 points each.
Cuneo, who are 11th with 20 points (seven wins, 13 losses) and missed an opportunity to get into the qualification zone for the playoffs, had opposite Binto Diop as their most productive player - she left the game with 14 points (11 kills, two blocks, one ace).
Reigning world champions Savino Del Bene Scandicci also scored a big win on Saturday, prevailing over Igor Gorgonzola Novara to win the weekend's Derby 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 19-25, 24-26, 15-11) to secure their ninth-straight victory. Scandicci are second with 51 points (18 wins, two losses), while Novara rank fifth, with 40 (14 wins, six losses).
Star opposite Ekaterina Antropova led Scandicci with 21 points (16 kills, five blocks), four more than middle blocker Emma Graziani, who took home the MVP award. Novara's Russian opposite Tatiana Tolok topped all scorers with 29 (27 kills, one block, one ace).
Sixth-placed Megabox Ondulati Del Savio Vallefoglia, who, like Scandicci, entered the weekend on an eight-match winning streak, saw their run come to an end, going down in straight sets (27-25, 25-19, 25-22) to fourth-placed Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri '76 on the road.
League leaders Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano, who swept (25-20, 25-23, 25-15) ninth-placed Bergamo, and third-placed Numia Vero Volley Milano, who came back to top Monviso 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-12), also triumphed on Saturday.
The other two matches of the day had the visiting teams coming out on top, with seventh-placed Il Bisonte Firenze sweeping (25-17, 25-18, 25-19) Perugia and eighth-placed Eurotek Laica UYBA Busto Arsizio taking tenth-placed CBF Balducci HR Macerata down also in three sets (25-19, 25-21, 25-16).
Lega Volley Femminile - Match Schedule & Results
With the Coppa Italia Final Four scheduled to take place next weekend in Turin, the eighth leg of the second round of the regular season will be held during the week, with all seven matches taking place on Tuesday.
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