Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza, who had been undefeated in the first six legs of the Italian SuperLega Credem Banca, have now suffered losses in the next three. Brilliantly conducted by Konstantin Abaev and powered by Noumory Keita, Rana Verona handed them their third defeat in a row. Gas Sales kept the third place in the current standings, but have now been caught up with in points by Cucine Lube Civitanova, who were stunned upon their visit to Gioiella Prisma Taranto, but at least took home a point. Despite the losses, both Gas Sales and Lube are now safe for their spots in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals.
Superlega 2024/25
Verona hand Gas Sales third defeat in a row
Recap of Italian SuperLega’s ninth-leg matches
Published 05:51, 25 Nov 2024
Verona’s Noumory Keita and Rok Mozic celebrate
- Watch the SuperLega on VBTV.
Malian opposite Noumory Keita hammered out 24 spike kills and raised five kill blocks to lead Rana Verona to an emphatic 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-18) sweep of their home match against Gas Sales with a match-high 29 points. Middle blocker Aidan Zingel added another 11 points towards the win, while the Most Valuable Player nomination in the match went to Verona’s Russian setter Konstantin Abaev, who had both his middles spiking at a 100% success rate. Canadian outside hitter Stephen Maar was Gas Sales’ only player to reach the double digits with 12 points.
The game put an end to Verona’s three-match losing streak, but extended the Piacenza team’s negative run to three consecutive matches. Verona climbed back up to fifth place on 15 points and a 5-4 win-loss record, just two points below Gas Sales, who are still third on 6-3.
In between, Cucine Lube Civitanova are fourth on 17 and 5-4 after surprisingly taking only a point from their trip to Gioiella Prisma Taranto. The team that was placed second from the bottom also put an end to a three-game losing streak by mounting a furious comeback from two sets down to beat Lube by 3-2 (19-25, 21-25, 31-29, 25-20, 15-11) and move up a spot to 10th place on 9 and 3-6. Prisma’s outside hitter Tim Held led the way with 25 points, while Turkish opposite Adis Lagumdzija was Lube’s most prolific player with 20 points, including four aces.
“I am proud of these guys, because after a week of hard work and many difficulties, we pushed hard and today we did not give up. We were very good, it was a great match!” Tim Held said after the game. “Playing against teams like this is a great opportunity. These are games you dream about as a kid, and you always want to face them head on, having the most fun and enjoying every single moment. I wasn't thinking about the points, but just trying to bring home something, and together with my teammates we managed to do it.”
In the most anticipated match of the weekend, defending champions and table leaders Sir Susa Vim Perugia produced a 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 30-28, 25-15) away victory over Allianz Milan in front of almost eight thousand on the stands at the Unipol Forum. Sir’s Ukrainian star Oleh Plotnytskyi fired five aces and raised two kill blocks towards a 21-point match high. Young Belgian opposite Ferre Reggers was Allianz’s best scorer with 17 points. The squad from Milan dropped a spot to sixth place on 15 and 5-5, while the team from Perugia continues to lead the standings undefeated on 25 and 9-0.
Reigning European champions Itas Trentino Trento continue to trail just a point behind reigning club world champions Sir, on 24 and 8-1, as the two powerhouses have now widened the gap from the rest of the pack. On Sunday, Trentino mastered a 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-20) shutout of their visitors Mint Vero Volley Monza, pushing last season’s second-placed team down to second from the bottom, in 11th place on 7 and 3-6, but still with a remote shot at the Coppa Italia spots. Trentino’s Luxembourgish opposite Kamil Rychlicki was the top scorer of the match with 18 points.
Changes occurred around the cut-off for the national cup quarterfinals, which will feature the top eight teams in the SuperLega standings after the 11th leg. Valsa Group Modena produced a 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-19, 25-22) home win over Sonepar Padova Padua with a 20-point match high from Austrian opposite Paul Buchegger, while Cisterna Volley claimed a 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-17) away victory over Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina with 22 points from leading scorer Jordi Ramon of Spain. So both Modena and Cisterna overtook Padova in the standings, leaving them below the red line for now. Modena rose to seventh place on 12 and 4-5. Cisterna complete the top eight on 12 and 4-6, while Padova are ninth on 10 and 3-6.
With the 10th-leg match between Allianz and Cisterna played earlier, next weekend will offer just five games on its programme. However, two 11th-leg games will be played in advance this week, on Wednesday, to free up Trentino and Lube for their participation in the upcoming FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship from December 10 to 15 in Brazil.
SuperLega Credem Banca 2024-2025 11th leg:
Nov 27, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina v Cucine Lube Civitanova
Nov 27, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Sonepar Padova Padua
SuperLega Credem Banca 2024-2025 10th leg:
Nov 30, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza v Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina
Dec 01, 16:00 local (15:00 UTC): Gioiella Prisma Taranto v Valsa Group Modena
Dec 01, 16:00 local (15:00 UTC): Mint Vero Volley Monza v Sir Susa Vim Perugia
Dec 01, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Cucine Lube Civitanova v Itas Trentino Trento
Dec 01, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Sonepar Padova Padua v Rana Verona
