Patry powers Milan in upset of Lube for Italian Cup semifinals berth

After two titles on the trot (2020 and 2021), total seven times Italian Men's Cup holders Cucine Lube Civitanova have crashed out of this year's competition following a nail-biting 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-20, 29-27) defeat at home to Allianz of Milan in Sunday's quarterfinals.

France's Jean Patry, who scored 15 points including two aces and two blocks was named MVP of the match as he drove Milan to the stunning win, as the visitors dominated the match across all skills.

USA's Thomas Jaeschke was Milan's leading scorer on 18 points, though the match high of 23 came from Lube's Ivan Zaytsev.

Lube came from behind to draw level at 23-23 with a four-point run, but never actually got a shot at extending the game into a fifth - the visitors wrapping it all up after five match balls.

It is the first time in six years that Lube will not be in the final of the Italian Cup (since 2016 when Modena beat Trentino 3-0 for the title).

• Watch all the matches of the Italian Cup on demand on VolleyballWorld.tv.

In another quarterfinals upset, record twelve-time Cup holders Leo Shoes PerkinElmer Modena fell at home in the PalaPanini to Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-21, 26-24).

Modena gave Piacenza a run for their money in the fourth set, though never actually had a direct opportunity at forcing a tie-break, as the visitors took the match after two match balls.

Francesco Recine on 14 points was Piacenza's best scorer, awarded with the MVP of the match trophy. The Netherlands' Nimir Abdel-Aziz was the top scorer of the game on 16 points.

Earlier on Sunday evening, Trentino had become the first team to make the 5-6 March Final Four in Bologna, after crushing Vero Volley Monza 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-21) on the back of a match high 16 points (including three aces and two blocks) by Daniele Lavia.

But it was libero Julian Zenger of Germany who distinguished himself in the back zone, picking up the MVP of the match award for his efforts.

The semifinals, scheduled for 5 March, are shaping up as follows:

• Sir Safety Conad Perugia or Kioene Padova v Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
• Allianz Milan v Itas Trentino

The fourth of the quarterfinals between Sir Safety Conad Perugia and Kioene Padova is scheduled for Wednesday 19 January.

The final is scheduled for 6 March in Bologna.

In the only league match of the weekend, Gioiella Prisma Taranto shut out Verona Volley 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-14), putting an end to their three-match losing streak, thanks to some impenetrable blocking (five by Aimone Alletti and four by Tommaso Stefani) for a total of 14 stuffs to four, plus highly efficient attacking. Verona's Rok Mozic of Slovenia was top scorer of the game with 17 points.