Superlega 2021

Gualberto, Nishida on fire as Vibo Valentia deliver weekend’s big upset

Sunday’s four SuperLega matches produce four four-set results

Published 08:23, 21 Feb 2022

Flavio Gualberto

Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia delivered the big upset of the weekend in Italy’s SuperLega Credem Banca. With Brazilian middle blocker Flavio Gualberto and Japanese opposite Yuji Nishida on fire, they produced a 3-0 (24-23, 25-23, 25-21) clean slate as they visited Vero Volley Monza on Saturday and pushed up away from the relegation zone.

To his 80% success rate in attack, 2021 VNL gold medallist Gualberto added five kill blocks towards a match-high 17-point tally and a well-deserved MVP award. The 22-year-old Japanese international added another 15 points (including an ace and a block), registering 59% in offence. German international outside hitter Christian Fromm also reached double digits by putting away 10 points for Tonno Callipo, including the match winner with a block on compatriot Gyorgy Grozer.

On the other side of the net, Italian middle Gianluca Galassi also offered a fantastic performance. With a perfect 100% success rate in spiking and four stuff blocks, he delivered as many points as Germany’s star opposite Grozer, 12 apiece. Czech outside Donovan Dzavoronok was Vero Volley’s top scorer on 14 points.

“There was a well-prepared opponent on the other side of the net, but we tried to push in all the fundamentals. We are already looking forward to the next matches convinced that we need to give our best until the end. This is a championship that never allows you to let your guard down and especially in the last few games you have to be more careful about what you do, because the points you lose and even a set can make a difference.” Davide Candellaro, middle blocker of Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia

With seven wins in 20 matches, the team from Vibo Valentia have already collected 22 points, which puts them in 10th place in the current standings, moving two positions up from their previous place in the relegation zone. At the same time, the squad from Monza (31 points) lost the fifth place in the table to Allianz Milano, who managed a 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19) home victory over winless Consar RCM Ravenna on Sunday, their 11th win of the season, to improve to 34 points. French Olympic champion Jean Patry contributed 19 points (including two aces and two blocks) to his team’s success, while captain Matteo Piano impressed with eight kill blocks.

Leaders Sir Safety Conad Perugia also had to come back from a set down in their home match against Kioene Padova. With a 19-point match high from Luxembourgish international Kamil Rychlicki, they claimed a 3-1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-13) win to improve to an 18-2 win-loss record and 55 points and widen the gap at the top of the table to 10 points, after main rivals Cucine Lube Civitanova’s home game with Top Volley Cisterna of the 22nd leg was postponed.

“In the first set we didn't have our usual serving, while they did well in the break phase. Then we picked up the pace, gained confidence, came back and I'm happy with the victory, which is very important. I am the MVP? I always try to do my best, but it is the team that counts…” Kamil Rychlicki, opposite of Sir Safety Conad Perugia

Kioene Padova are 11th on 21 points, just above the danger zone. Also on 21 points, Verona Volley fell back to 12th place after losing to fourth-placed Leo Shoes PerkinElmer Modena at home on Sunday. Despite high scoring performances from their Danish opposite Mads Kyed Jensen (25 points) and Slovenian outside Rok Mozic (24), they went down in four sets. Cuban-born Brazilian star Yoandy Leal was Modena’s best scorer on 21 points towards the 3-1 (25-21, 27-25, 28-30, 25-21) victory. Leo Shoes are now on a 15-4 win-loss record and 41 points, just a point short of third-placed Itas Trentino (13-6), who had the weekend off.

Gioiella Prisma Taranto moved into the play-off zone after a 3-1 (25-19, 25-23, 25-27, 25-22) home win over Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza. They are now eighth on 23 points (7-14), five short of seventh-placed Piacenza (9-10). Italian opposite Tommaso Stefani produced the match high of 22 points, including an ace and two blocks, for Taranto.

Next on the SuperLega agenda are the midweek fixtures between Kioene Padova and Itas Trentino on Tuesday and between Sir Safety Conad Perugia and Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza on Wednesday.

  • Watch all the matches of the Italian men's and women's top-division leagues live or on demand on Volleyball TV.

Related items