Cucine Lube Civitanova was sidelined for the second consecutive season just shy of the Italian title. Sir Susa Scai Perugia rose to the top of the Italian crown, also coming from behind to win Game 3 of the Scudetto Finals with a 3-1 victory (25-27, 26-24, 25-22, 25-20) at the Pala Barton Energy in Pian di Massiano. The team’s season thus ended with a second-place finish, which opens the door to the Champions League and the Del Monte® Super Cup Final Four, but it doesn’t erase the regrets of the defeats they handed to the Block Devils in their final two games. Giampaolo Medei’s men will have to live with the disappointment of the comebacks they suffered in Games 2 and 3 after equally convincing starts.
Nikolov is the top scorer (25 points), followed by Bottolo (16) and Loeppky (15).
GIAMPAOLO MEDEI (coach): “There’s a bit of disappointment because I think the team has made great strides towards the end of this season, both technically and in terms of character. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. Both today and in Game 2, we squandered important opportunities; we lacked the right amount of determination, but tonight we remained in the game as well.
MARKO PODRASCANIN: “First of all, I want to congratulate Perugia, who dominated the season from the first to the last match. As for tonight’s match, it was very similar to last Sunday’s match in Civitanova, because after winning the first set and having a comfortable lead in the next, we suffered a physical and mental decline, throwing away a golden opportunity to take a 2-0 lead. In any case, I’m very proud of what the team has achieved this year.
Sir Susa Scai Perugia – Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-1 (25-27, 26-24, 25-22, 25-20)
Sir Susa Scai Perugia: Giannelli 5, Plotnytskyi 14, Solé 4, Ben Tara 18, Semeniuk 13, Russo 4, Gaggini (L), Argilagos 0, Dzavoronok 0, Loser 4, Colaci (L), Ishikawa 0. N.E. Cvanciger, Crosato. Coach: Lorenzetti.
Cucine Lube Civitanova: Boninfante 1, Bottolo 16, Gargiulo 4, Loeppky 15, Nikolov 25, Podrascanin 7, Kukartsev (L), D’Heer 1, Orduna 1, Bisotto 0, Balaso (L), Duflos-Rossi 1, Tenorio 0. N.E. Hfaiedh. Coach: Medei. REFEREES: Zanussi (TV) and Cesare (RM)
Notes: Set duration: 33′, 37′, 30′, 28′. Total: 2h 08′. Perugia: 19 service errors, 7 aces, 8 blocks, attack 56%, reception 47% (21%). Civitanova: 32 service errors, 7 aces, 8 blocks, attack 52%, reception 47% (26%). Attendance: 4,932. MVP: Colaci.
