Piacenza beats Ljubljana in Slovenia and flies to the Final! The red and whites will face Luneburg
ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) – Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza 1-3 (19-25, 22-25, 25-13, 22-25) – ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO): Stern 23, Pajenk 11, Sket, Marovt 12, Sen 1, Kržič Janz 5, Kovačič (L), Ropret 1, Urnaut 8. N.E. Kržič Jost, Najdič, Prevorčnik, Verdinek. All. Kolakovic. Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza: Porro 4, Leon, Mandiraci 12, Comparoni 5, Galassi 1, Simon Aties 12, Travica, Andringa 1, Gutierrez Suarez 6, Bovolenta 20, Loreti (L). N.E. Pace, Bergmann, Iyegbekedo. Coach: Boninfante. REFEREES: Willems, Hristov. NOTES – set duration: 25′, 23′, 20′, 27′; total: 95′. ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO): Wrong serves 19; Winners 5. Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza: Wrong serves 22; Winners 5.
Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza secured a four-set victory and a spot in the finals, playing against ACH Volley Ljubljana in Slovenia. Following up on last week’s tie-break victory, Piacenza won in four sets, thus qualifying for the final of the 2026 CEV Cup. Awaiting Piacenza in the final will be German side SVG Luneburg, who prevailed in a double-header against Belgian side Greenyard Maaseik; the first leg in Germany was on Wednesday, April 15th, with the return the following week at the PalaBancaSport.
Dante Boninfante’s team, after winning the first two sets comfortably, suffered a comeback from the home team, who won the third set by a clear margin (25-13). Piacenza’s hunger for a place in the final came to the fore in the fourth quarter, with Stern’s attack (the game’s top scorer with 23 points) sparking excitement for the red and whites. Alessandro Bovolenta, the match’s MVP, scored 20 points; Mandiraci and Simon also scored in double figures for Gas Sales Bluenergy (both with 12). Piacenza, awaiting the decisive double-header in Europe, now heads to the Playoff Semifinals: the Emilian team will face Sir Susa Scai Perugia on Monday, April 6th, for Game 1 of the Scudetto Semifinals.
