Play Off 5° Place Final Credem Banca:
Rana Verona – Cucine Lube Civitanova 1-3 (25-23, 18-25, 24-26, 22-25)
Rana Verona: Spirito 2, Dzavoronok 12, Grozdanov 3, Esmaeilnezhad 18, Keita 19, Cortesia 9, Mozic (L), Zingel 0, D’Amico (L), Sani 0, Mosca 1. N.E. Jovovic, Bonisoli, Zanotti. All. Stoytchev. Cucine Lube Civitanova: De Cecco 3, Yant Herrera 24, Anzani 9, Lagumdzija 21, Bottolo 13, Chinenyeze 10, Thelle 1, Motzo 0, Balaso (L), Zaytsev 0. N.E. Bisotto, Larizza. All. Giannini. ARBITRI: Simbari, Carcione. NOTE – durata set: 28′, 26′, 36′, 36′; tot: 126′.
Rana Verona’s European dream crashes against the wall of Cucine Lube Civitanova, which takes the final of the 5th Place Play Offs and, therefore, qualification for the CEV Challenge Cup 2025 for the second time in its history. Departure in total balance, with the two teams responding blow for blow. Then it was the home team who pulled away from their opponents at the end of a long exchange led by a falling Dzavoronok. At the end of the half, Lube tries to get back on track, but Verona is not surprised and breaks the deadlock. The reaction of Giannini’s team took place in the second set, where they managed to immediately find a decent advantage. The local troop clings to their bandmen to stay in the game, but Bottolo brings the match back to a draw. The match was fought upon returning to the pitch, with the Cucineri’s escape attempts promptly muffled by Stoytchev’s boys. In the end, Lube tries the decisive extension, Verona cancels two set balls, but the guests take the lead, turning the situation around. It doesn’t take much to realize that the stakes are very high. Even at the start of the fourth quarter neither of the two teams managed to find a breakthrough. The wall, then, helps Civitanova to extend; it’s an exciting finale, with Lube managing to impose itself in key moments and fly to Europe. The driving force of the Marche team is the top scorer Yant, capable of scoring 24 points, including 6 aces which are worth the nomination of MVP; 21 points also for Lagumdzija. Among the Veronese ranks, however, the laterals Amin and Keita stand out, scoring 18 and 19 points respectively.
MVP: Marlon Yant (Cucine Lube Civitanova)
SPECTATOR: 3,445
Radostin Stoytchev (coach Rana Verona): “First of all, congratulations to Lube, who played a great match. We wasted an opportunity in the third set, where we were ahead by two points and with two counterattack opportunities to put the ball on the ground. If we had won that part, the match could have changed. They did well in serving and blocking, but we didn’t do well in these fundamentals. I also want to thank the crowd, who are always involved and close to the team. because this season we were always close to achieving a great result.
Marlon Yant (Cucine Lube Civitanova): “It’s definitely not the result we wanted from this season, but after the elimination in the quarter-finals of the Play Offs, this fifth place was the best we could achieve and I’m happy to have achieved an objective that however, it will allow Cucine Lube to play in Europe also next season.
