06/03/2019 21:14
Rookies Vero Volley to play Belogorie in #CEVChallengeCupM final
2019 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup - Men
Luxembourg, March 6, 2019. European Cup rookies Vero Volley MONZA did not make the same mistake as a week ago when they wasted a 2-0 lead in their home match with SC Portugal LISBOA. This time around, despite playing away from home, the Italians stormed to a 3-0 victory to secure their spot in the ‘grand finale’ of the 2019 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup – Men where they will be playing Russia’s powerhouse Belogorie BELGOROD. The ‘Lions’ easily took the two sets they needed from their re-match with Stade Poitevin POITIERS to remain in contention for the only European title that is still missing from their collection.
SC Portugal LISBOA (POR) vs. Vero Volley MONZA (ITA) 0-3 (20-25, 23-25, 17-25)
• Vero Volley MONZA had wasted a 2-0 lead when playing at home last week, but this time the Italian European Cup rookies did not make the same mistake. They set the pace from start to end to seal their spot in the final stage of the Challenge Cup.
• Austrian player Paul Buchegger will contest his second straight Challenge Cup final. Last season, he helped Bunge RAVENNA claim the title against Olympiacos PIRAEUS and received the award for the MVP of the finals.
• Buchegger missed the first half of the season due to a knee injury and joined the starting six of Vero Volley last Sunday for the first time, helping MONZA towards a sensational victory over a heavyweight such as Azimut Leo Shoes MODENA by scoring 20 points. On Wednesday, he scored six times against SC Portugal LISBOA as his teammate Donovan Dzavoronok registered an impressive tally of 17 points, with Oleh Plotnytskyi adding 14 to the count of the Italian team.
• MONZA recorded as many as 14 blocks, with five from Viktor Yosifov and three apiece signed by Dzavoronok and Thomas Beretta. The Italians scored four aces and had an extremely consistent performance, to which SC Portugal LISBOA could not respond despite the support provided by some 2,000 fans.
Simone Buti, middle blocker of Vero Volley MONZA: “Keeping our level of play throughout the whole match was the key to this important victory. Last week in Monza, we failed to show that same consistency, probably due to the easy victory of the second set. Tonight instead, we have always been consistent, putting them under pressure with the serve and our Volleyball, managing to show our qualities. We never lowered the intensity and this, together with an excellent team performance, has allowed us to reach a historic final for Vero Volley. Now we are waiting to meet our next opponent, ready to give our best for this great challenge.”
Stade Poitevin POITIERS (FRA) vs. Belogorie BELGOROD (RUS) 3-2 (20-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 17-15)
• After losing 0-3 last week in Russia, Stade Poitevin POITIERS had an almost impossible mission to accomplish in their home semi-final with Belogorie.
• However, Stade Poitevin POITIERS were hoping to repeat the sensation they caused back on January 14, 2003 when they inflicted Belogorie their only loss throughout that entire Champions League season.
• Many things have changed since that day and despite being side-lined by injuries, POITIERS looked motivated ahead of this match.
• John Gordon Perrin and Nemanja Petric were the key players for Belogorie as the Russian secured a 2-0 lead in the match and with it, their ticket to the final as well. Belogorie made quite may mistakes, but not as many as those made by POITIERS.
• Belogorie coach Slobodan Kovac decided to use some of the younger players for the remainder of the match and Stade Poitevin used this opportunity to secure a double 25-23 win in the third and fourth sets.
• The French team cancelled two match points for the Russians in the tiebreak before emerging victorious at 17-15 to bid farewell to the 2019 European Cups with a victory.
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