European Cups
Italians unbeaten and top
Cuneo, Macerata and Trento did not even lose a set and remained unbeaten ahead of the return games of the Champions League Main Phase. They’re all very close to qualification to the Playoffs 12, and only the first place of the group can guarantee to go through. Bad day on the other hand for Latina, defeated 3-1 by Valepa Sastamala in Finland in the Cev Cup 8th of final first leg. In order to qualify for the quarters, Sottile and co will need to win the return game in Italy as well as the Golden set that would follow.
Good debut in Europe for Piacenza, 3-0 winners of Istanbul BBSK in the Challenge Cup Second round first leg.
2013 CEV Champions League
On Wednesday, Cuneo swept Rzeszow thanks to a great team performance inspired by the superb plays of Nikola Grbic, who made great use of his spikers. Piazza’s boys dominated in every area of the game, starting with the serve that really got the Polish reception struggling.
No worries either for Macerata in Unterhaching. Without Savani and Kovar, Savani’s team won 3-0 and went four points clear of the Germans at the top of the group. A win in the return game on Wednesday 21 would send Macerata through to the Playoffs 12 with two games in hand. Trentino hosted Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle and inflicted a triple 25-22 to the Polish side, which had won in Trento last season. Kaziyski and co showed great determination at the end of each set.
Round 3 results
POOL A
Zenit Kazan (RUS) – Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) 3-0 (25-10, 25-16, 34-32)
Knack Roeselare (BEL) – VfB Friedrichshafen (GER) 3-1 (26-24, 22-25, 25-20, 25-23)
Standing: Zenit Kazan 9, Knack Roeselare 6, VfB Friedrichshafen 2, Hypo Tirol Innsbruck 1
POOL B
Berlin Recycling Volley (GER) – Budvanska Rivijera Budva (MNE) 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-19, 25-13)
Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice (CZE) – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS) 0-3 (21-25, 17-25, 18-25)
Standing: Lokomotiv Novosibirsk 9, Berlin Recycling Volley 6, Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice 3, Budvanska Rivijera Budva 0
POOL C
Trentino Diatec (ITA) – Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-22)
Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) – Tours VB (FRA) 0-3 (21-25, 13-25, 18-25)
Standing: Trentino Diatec 9, Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle 6, Tours VB 3, Crvena Zvezda Beograd 0
POOL D
Ach Volley Ljubljana (SLO) – Euphony Asse-Lennik (BEL) 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-15)
Generali Unterhaching (GER) – Lube Banca Marche Macerata (ITA) 3-0 (20-25, 24-26, 19-25)
Standing: Lube Banca Marche Macerata 9, Generali Unterhaching 5, Ach Volley Ljubljana 4, Euphony Asse-Lennik 0
POOL E
Tomis Constanta (ROU) – Fenerbahce Grundig Instanbul (TUR) 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-20)
Pge Skra Belchatow (POL) – Dinamo Moscow (RUS) 3-1 (25-21, 25-16, 19-25, 25-18)
Standing: Pge Skra Belchatow 9, Dinamo Moscow 6, Tomis Constanta 3, Fenerbahce Grundig Instanbul 0
POOL F
Arkas Izmir (TUR) – Noliko Maaseik (BEL) 1-3 (25-22, 16-25, 25-27, 17-25)
Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa (BUL) – Cai Teruel (ESP) 3-1 (26-28, 25-23, 25-20, 25-19)
Standing: Noliko Maaseik 9, Arkas Izmir 5, Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa 3, Cai Teruel 1
POOL G
Arago de Sete (FRA) – Remat Zalau (ROU) 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-22)
Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo (ITA) 0-3 (18-25, 23-25, 20-25)
Standing: Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo 9, Asseco Resovia Rzeszow 6, Arago de Sete 3, Remat Zalau 0
2013 CEV Cup
Latina came back from its long trip to Finland with a 3-1 loss against Valepa Sastamala in the Cev Cup 8th of final first leg. Too many mistakes and a wavering concentration means the Italians will need both the return game as well as the Golden set (to 15) next Wednesday to stay alive in the competition.
CEV Cup – Risultato andata 8i di Finale
Valepa Sastamala (FIN) – Andreoli Latina (ITA) 3-1 (26-24, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20)
2013 Challenge Cup
Positive return in Europe for Piacenza after two years out. The Italians debuted in the Challenge Cup second round with a 3-0 victory over the Turkish side of Istanbull BBSK as Fei and Simon led the way with 16 and 15 points respectively. Luca Monti’s boys will also need to win the return leg to go through, though.
Challenge Cup – Risultato andata 2nd Round
Copra Elior Piacenza (ITA) – Istanbul BBSK (TUR) 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-22)
Fixtures and refs
CEV Champions League
Round 4 (first return legs)
Tuesday November 20 at 8.30pm
POOL G
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo (ITA) – Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL)
(Cuk-Kriescher)
Wednesday November 21 at 6pm
POOL C
Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) – Trentino Diatec (ITA)
(Makshanov-Eizikovits)
Wednesday November 21 at 8.30pm
POOL D
Lube Banca Marche Macerata (ITA) – Generali Unterhaching (GER)
(Markov-Varthalitis)
CEV Cup
8th of final return leg
Wednesday November 21 at 8.30pm
Andreoli Latina (ITA) – Valepa Sastamala (FIN)
(Onopas-Nisancioglu)
Challenge Cup
2nd Round return leg
Thursday November 22 at 4pm (Italian time)
Istanbul BBSK (TUR) – Copra Elior Piacenza (ITA)
(Pavlov-Kovalchuk)
