Sunday’s encounter between Italian SuperLega Credem Banca rookies Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina and last season’s silver medallists Mint Vero Volley Monza offered the only five-set duel of the first leg of the 2024-2025 season that got underway over the weekend.

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Canadian opposite Arthur Szwarc led the way with a leg-high 30 points towards Vero Volley’s hard-earned 3-2 (25-23, 16-25, 32-30, 24-26, 15-9) success in Sunday evening’s closing match of the weekend. He delivered 25 points in attack at a 61% success rate and added three kill blocks and two aces to round off his tally. Another four players on Vero Volley’s squad reached the double digits – Finnish outside hitter Luka Marttila with 15 points, middle blockers Thomas Beretta and Gabriele Di Martino with 12 each, and German outside Erik Rohrs with 11. For Vero Volley’s first match of the new SuperLega season, there were several notable absences from the court, those of Osmany Juantorena, Ivan Zaytsev, Taylor Averill, Ibrahim Lawani and Leandro Mosca.

Yuasa Battery picked up their first SuperLega point, spearheaded by their Serbian opposite Dusan Petkovic who matched Szwarc’s tally with 30 points of his own. Outside Oleg Antonov added another 17, including five kill blocks. In a rare case of the Most Valuable Player award going to a player of the losing team, the honours went to the home team’s middle Andrea Mattei, who finished with 14 points, while spiking at an impressive 92% success rate and raising three kill blocks.

“I have to say that it was a great start to the championship,” Vero Volley’s captain Thomas Beretta said. “Grottazzolina showed all their determination and desire to do well in this SuperLega debut. I want to congratulate my team because, even though we suffered a bit and we are not yet in top form, we managed to always stay in the game and start again in the most complicated moments. These are the challenges that temper character and that will allow us to build solid foundations for the rest of the season.”

In another first-leg game on Sunday, 2023-2024 bronze medallists Allianz Milan were stunned by Gioiella Prisma Taranto in a straight-set shocker. The squad from Taranto jumped into pole position in the current standings after the first leg, pleasing the home crowd with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-19) shutout of their visitors from Milan, the most surprising result of the weekend. Opposite Fabrizio Gironi, MVP of the match, and Canadian outside Brodie Hofer shared the top scorer honours of the game with 15 points apiece towards the victory. Former Italian international Filippo Lanza added another 12, while Belgian opposite Ferre Reggers was Allianz’s only player to reach the double digits with 13 points.

In the only other straight-setter of the leg, defending champions Sir Susa Vim Perugia mastered a 3-0 (29-27, 25-22, 25-21) home win over Rana Verona with a 14-point match high from Polish outside Kamil Semeniuk.

Other than Vero Volley, last regular season winners Itas Trentino Trento achieved the only away victory in the leg. The reigning European champions produced a 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 27-25, 25-16) comeback win over Cisterna Volley. Cisterna’s French opposite Theo Faure was the best scorer of the match with 21 points, while outside Alessandro Michieletto led the winners with 18 points.

In an anticipated clash between Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza and Valsa Group Modena, the home team delighted the Piacenza fans with a 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-3, 25-23) victory. Gas Sales’ opposite Yuri Romano impressed with four aces towards a 20-point contribution to his team’s success. Modena’s Tommaso Rinaldi, however, was the best scorer of the match with 21 points.

The season opened on Saturday with a game between Cucine Lube Civitanova and Sonepar Padua. Powered by Turkish opposite Adis Lagumdzija with 25 points, Lube celebrated a 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 26-24, 25-17) home victory.

The second leg will be played next weekend, again with one game on Saturday, October 5, and five games on Sunday, October 6.

SuperLega Credem Banca 2024-2025 2nd leg:
Oct 5, 18:00 local (16:00 UTC): Mint Vero Volley Monza v Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
Oct 6, 15:20 local (13:20 UTC): Allianz Milan v Cucine Lube Civitanova
Oct 6, 17:00 local (15:00 UTC): Sonepar Padua v Sir Susa Vim Perugia
Oct 6, 17:00 local (15:00 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Gioiella Prisma Taranto
Oct 6, 18:00 local (16:00 UTC): Valsa Group Modena v Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina
Oct 6, 19:00 local (17:00 UTC): Rana Verona v Cisterna Volley

SuperLega Credem Banca 2024-2025 schedule and results

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