The Challenge Cup final was uphill for the red and whites. In the first round, Cucine Lube Civitanova fell 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 26-24) in Poland against the home team Bogdanka LUK Lublin on the taraflex of Hala Globus Tomasz Wojtowicz. Giampaolo Medei’s men had to deal with the explosive service (13 aces to 6) and the compactness of Massimo Botti’s team (13 winning blocks to 10), led by Wilfredo Leon in great shape, MVP and top scorer with 23 personal points, 6 of which scored from nine meters and 4 from the block. Sasak (16), Sawicki (10) and Mc Carthy (10) also scored in double figures for the home team. After a traumatic start, the red and whites get back on their feet in the second set, but go into crisis in the third, only to get back up in an authoritative way in the next one and close the match with a shower of regrets for the three-point advantage thrown away in the final sprint. Medei turns the team around to withstand the Polish shock wave and the best scorer among the guests is Nikolov (13 points), who started from the bench, followed by Lagumdzija (12) and Bottolo (12).
Bogdanka LUK Lublin – Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 26-24)
LUBLIN: Nowakowski ne, Komenda 2, Sawicki 10, Malinowski, Wachnik ne, Leon 23, Słotarski ne, Grozdanov 6, Czyrek (L), Hoss (L), Zając ne, Tuinstra, Mc Carthy 10, Sasak 16. All. Botti
CIVITANOVA: Chinenyeze 8, Gargiulo, Loeppky 6, Orduna, Bisotto (L), Balaso (L), Boninfante 4, Poriya, Nikolov 13, Lagumdzija 12, Dirlic, Podrascanin 6, Bottolo 12, Tenorio ne. All. Medei
ARBITRI: Wijnstra (NED), Cevik (TUR).
Note: durata set 27’, 29’, 27’, 33’. Totale 1h 56’. Lublin: errori al servizio 21, ace 13, muri 13, attacco 49%, ricezione 43% (21%). Civitanova: errori al servizio 21, ace 6, muri 10, attacco 44%, ricezione 43% (12%). MVP: Leon.
