Europe
Severe defeat for Ravenna
2015 CEV Challenge Cup
Semi-final first leg
Stroitel Minsk (BLR) – Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) 1-3 (22-25, 25-22, 20-25, 18-25)
Benfica Lisboa (POR) – CMC Ravenna (ITA) 3-0 (25-20, 26-24, 25-19)
BENFICA LISBOA – CMC RAVENNA 3-0 (25-20, 26-24, 25-19)
BENFICA LISBOA : Silva Reis 6, Casas 1, Lucas Gaspar 4, Honore 15, Oliveira, Cruz 17, Soares 10, Aviz 5. DNP Fonseca Pereira Jardim, Reis Lopes, Silva, Llanes Diaz. Coach. Jardim.
CMC RAVENNA : Mengozzi 4, Ricci 1, Cavanna, Zappoli Guarienti 3, Jeliazkov 2, Koumentakis 2, Buiatti Zanatta 11, Cester 10, Bari, Mckibbin, Cebulj 16. DNP Gabriele. Coach. Kantor.
Ravenna was totally outgunned by Lisbona in the Challenge Cup semi-final first leg in Portugal. In order to make it into the final, the Italians will now have to win the return leg on Sunday 3-0 or 3-1 and then win the golden set.
Ravenna made a step back compared to recent outings. Only Cebulj and Cester finished with positive percentages in attack. On the other side of the net, the outside hitter Lucas Gaspar was disappointed but instead it was Caribbean middle blocker Honoré and spiker Cruz who ran the show.
Beppe Cormio (GM CMC Ravenna): “We basically never came out of the hotel and deserved to lose, no matter what happened in the second set with those controversial calls from the refs. But those games always gives you an opportunity to redeem yourself. On Sunday I want to see the real Ravenna and a great crowd to push the team towards a come-back. If we can forget about this one fast, I think we still have our chance to go through”.
2015 CEV Challenge Cup
Semi-final return leg
Sunday March 29 at 6pm
CMC Ravenna (ITA) – Benfica Lisboa (POR)
(Burkiewicz-Vedris)
Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) – Stroitel Minsk (BLR)
(Sarikaya-Parshyn)
