Civitanova smashes Spor Toto and flies to Challenge Cup final
Civitanova overwhelms Spor Toto and flies to Challenge Cup final
Mission accomplished in Turkey with an authoritative and concrete performance. Cucine Lube Civitanova advances to the Challenge Cup Final, gaining the chance to lift the trophy to the sky for the second time in as many participations, interspersed with a very long militancy in the Champions League. Decisive were the victory with the maximum score obtained in the first leg in Italy and today’s encore in three sets (19-25, 17-25, 16-25) centered in Ankara with Spor Toto in an’Arena less hot than expected on the cheering front. In the titular double-header, Medei’s men will take on the winner of Bogdanka LUK Lublin – Sporting CP Lisboa (in the’first leg 3-0 privateer for the Poles, who will try to repeat tomorrow). Away first leg on March 11, 12 or 13, home return on March 19.
Easy management in the first set for the red-and-whites, superior in all fundamentals, more aggressive on serve and wall, consistent in attack and with a very focused Loeppky (8 points), more prolific than home bomber Edgar (6). Good impact of Lube, which takes advantage of Ankara’s errors and goes to +3 (2-5) after Lagumdzija’s ace. Civitanova also holds up at the wall with Bottolo (6-9), but gets betrayed by haste in attack and puts rivals back in the game (10-10). The Marches are not up for it and find the blaze (10-13), while Ozbey inserts Misto for Koc on 14-16. The decisive stretch comes after Podrascanin’s first half and Loeppky’s hit (17-23). By the Canadian the point that closes the set (19-25).
A partial set characterized by less clean volleyball is staged on the return, but Lube dominates the scene in wall-defense (5 the winning blocks), relies on Chinenyeze (5) and Loeppky (4) without finding too much opposition. Even at the start of the second act everything runs smoothly (4-8). There’è s air of resignation on the Turkish front, Spor Toto apnea and lackluster in his choices (6-11), with only Edgar giving a hard time. Lagumdzija lengthens the gap: his play and that of the Kitchen wall are worth +7 (11-18). On Chinenyeze’s first half and the Frenchman’s wall alternating with the hosts’ attack errors, the pass to the finals began to take shape (15-24) and then went to press on the third set ball on Loeppky’s winning wall (17-25).
Despite reaching the goal after only two sets, the final act saw a Lube team that was blazing in attack (71 percent), flawless in reception and focused on the ball turn. Medei dà space for Orduna in the control booth, while Ozbey keeps his men rolling. The canvas of a one-sided, uneventful match sees Lube move the score, chased by Ankara (7-10). Civitanova honors the challenge to the’last without giving Edgar and teammates a chance, walled off by the usual Chinenyeze (12-17). On Lagumdzija’s ace the gap è unbridgeable (14-22), on Loeppky’s winning serve come 9 match points (15-24). On the second attempt Gargiulo, who entered on the run, closes with the decisive hand out (16-25).
