European cups
2015 DenizBank Champions League
PlayOffs 6
Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS) 2-3 (20-25, 25-19, 25-22, 19-25, 15-17)
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) – Sir Safety Perugia (ITA) 3-1 (16-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-18)
Halkbank Ankara (TUR) – Zenit Kazan (RUS) 3-2 (25-23, 17-25, 25-18, 23-25, 16-14)
PGE SKRA BELCHATOW – SIR SAFETY PERUGIA 3-1 (16-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-18)
PGE SKRA BELCHATOW: Lisinac 7, Wlazly 14, Klos 9, Conte 17, Wrona, Uriarte 3, Wlodarczyk 1, Winiarski 9, Brdjovic, Piechocki (L), Tille (L), Marechal 5. Coach. Falasca.
SIR SAFETY PERUGIA: Buti 8, Fromm 8, Paolucci, De Cecco 3, Giovi (L), Barone 5, Tzioumakas 1, Beretta 5, Vujevic 4, Atanasijevic 18, Fanuli (L), Sunder 5. Coach. Grbic.
The biggest dream of all, the most coveted, the one nobody believed in, has vanished. Perugia lost 3-1 in the splendid and packed Atlas Arena in Lodz, meaning it won’t be in the Champions League final four in Berlin. Belchatow will be the one to go to the semi-finals as they were led by an outstanding Winiarski who came off the bench to play a role of hero. Wlazly in attack and Klos at the net, two world champions, were terrific too for the hosts. Perugia will have regrets for the way it went because the Italians started off with clear intentions: they were aggressive, angry, and perfect in the block-dig area. They dominated the first set and only just lost the second. Then came the turning point in the third with the Block Devils ahead 15-8. The Pols took over and although the visitors were still up 19-16, the hosts were on a roll, they clinched it 25-23 and that was basically the end of the game. Atanasijevic had done wonders in attack for three sets, just like Buti in the middle, and De Cecco had distributed beautifully, but now they are left with regrets and the what could have been.
Final Four – Berlino, Max-Schmeling-Halle
Saturday March 28
Teams: Zenit Kazan (RUS), PGE Skra Belchatow (POL), Recycling Volleys Berlin (GER), Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL)
5pm: first semi-final
8pm: second semi-final
Sunday March 29
1pm: game for third place
3.45pm: final
2015 CEV Cup
Challenge Round
Precura Antwerp (BEL) – Volley behappy2 Asse-Lennik (BEL) 3-1 (25-13, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22; golden set 16-18)
Fenerbahce SK. Istanbul (TUR) – Dinamo Moscow (RUS) 3-2 (25-22, 27-29, 28-26, 19-25, 16-14)
Knack Roeselare (BEL) – Energy T.I. Diatec Trentino (ITA) 2-3 (16-25, 25-17, 25-19, 20-25, 6-15)
Cai Teruel (ESP) – Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) 1-3 (23-25, 26-28, 28-26, 23-25)
KNACK ROESELARE – ENERGY T.I. DIATEC TRENTINO 2-3 (16-25, 25-17, 25-19, 20-25, 6-15) – KNACK ROESELARE: Tuerlinckx 14, Paulides 10, D’hulst, Coolman 13, Dejonckheere (L), Verhanneman 19, Claes, Van Hirtum, Tervaportti 3, Rousseaux 12. DNP Van De Velde, Dedeyne. Coach. Rousseaux.
ENERGY T.I. DIATEC TRENTINO: Kaziyski 26, Nelli 9, Birarelli 6, Zygadlo 3, Nemec 4, Lanza 13, Solé 7, Colaci (L), Fedrizzi 1, Burgsthaler. DNP Giannelli, Mazzone. Coach. Stoytchev.
Trentino will be among the best four teams of the CEV Cup 2014-15. The Italians made it to the semi-finals of a European cup for the fifth time in history by overcoming Roeselare at the tie-break again in the Challenge Round return leg. Only Costanta had managed a win in Roeselare before Trento. The return leg proved even harder than the first but once again Stoytchev’s men proved they were the better side. And once again, they had to come-back from behind (2-1 for the hosts) to clinch victory. One the main architect in turn-around of events was certainly Kaziyski, who finished top scorer with 25 points and 66% in attack, and Solé who registered no less than 6 blocks.
Semi-final first leg
Martedì 24 marzo 2015
Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) – Energy T.I. Diatec Trentino (ITA)
Dinamo Moscow (RUS) – Asse Lennik (BEL)
2015 CEV Challenge Cup
Quarter-finals
CMC Ravenna (ITA) – Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-21)
Ethnikos Alexandropoulis (GRE) – Benfica Lisboa (POR) 2-3 (22-25, 23-25, 25-20, 28-26, 11-15)
Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) – Galatasaray Fxtcr Istanbul (TUR) 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-20; golden set 15-11)
Stroitel Minsk (BLR) – Maliye Milli Piyango Ankara (TUR) 3-1 (24-26, 26-24, 25-22, 25-26; golden set 15-11)
CMC RAVENNA – CRVENA ZVEZDA BEOGRAD 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-21) CMC RAVENNA: Mengozzi 6, Ricci 4, Cavanna 2, Gabriele, Jeliazkov, Koumentakis 9, Buiatti Zanatta 17, Bari, Mckibbin, Cebulj 16. DNP Zappoli Guarienti, Cester. Coach. Kantor.
CRVENA ZVEZDA BEOGRAD: Okolic 5, Jevtic (L), Stefanovic, Stoilovic 10, Gmitrovic 10, Koprivica 7, Milutinovic 5, Blagojevic 2, Buculjevic 3. DNP Durdevic, Nejic, Kecman. Coach. Kobiljski.
Ravenna wrote a new page of its history in Europe by qualifying to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup. Beaten in the first leg 3-2 in Belgrade, the Italians turned things around with a sweep over the Serbians at home. Renan was superb and all the others played very well.
Semi-final first leg
Wednesday March 25
Benfica Lisboa (POR) – CMC Ravenna (ITA)
Stoitel Minsk (BLR) – Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB)
