2015 CEV DenizBank Champions League
First Champions League win for Perugia
SIR SAFETY PERUGIA – HALKBANK ANKARA 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 30-28)
SIR SAFETY PERUGIA: Buti 11, Fromm 13, Paolucci, De Cecco 4, Tzioumakas 1, Beretta 9, Vujevic, Atanasijevic 20, Fanuli (L), Sunder, Maruotti 13. DNP Barone. Coach. Grbic.
HALKBANK ANKARA: Kiyak, Juantorena Portuondo 16, Ayvazoglu (L), Subasi, Batur 7, Sokolov 22, Esko, Kubiak 15, Sahin (L), Mozdzonek 7. DNP Aksoylu, Tekeli. Coach. Bernardi.
Perugia’s Champions League debut was one to remember with a superb victory over the Turkish side of Ankara coached by Lorenzo Bernardi. Grbic’s boys started off with fighting spirit and a convincing first set in which they led from start to finish. The second was tight all along and in the end a Maruotti mistake on the serve handed it to Juantorena and co. In the third, Bernardi’s men led 22-19 when Perugia’s block-dig department got them back in it and ahead. This time Maruotti got the winning block. Ankara had none of it and started strong the fourth (14-8). Perugia fought back to even get a 23-20 led. An extraordinary end of set was sealed on a 30-28 score for the Italians.
Simone Buti (Sir Safety Perugia): “This was a very important victory because that was a very difficult game. We proved we were a great team, even in the clutch time, or when we were trailing, we never gave up and stayed in it. I think we really deserved this victory”.
Lorenzo Bernardi (coach Halkbank Ankara): “We made the fourth set easier for our opponent. If you allow them to stay close… I’m not saying we lost because of mistakes, but I don’t understand the video challenge is used everywhere but not in important games like this. We have a lot of great players but we have to become a team as soon as possible. Great teams when they lead 21-19 or 14-7 must take the set”.
POOL A
Copra Ardelia Piacenza (ITA) – Tomis Constanta (ROU) 2-3 (25-16, 22-25, 25-27, 25-22, 12-15)
Dragons Lugano (SUI) – Knack Roeselare (BEL) 1-3 (25-22, 17-25, 22-25, 22-25)
Standings: Knack Roeselare 3, Tomis Constanta 2, Copra Ardelia Piacenza 1, Dragons Lugano 0
POOL E
Fenerbahce SK. Istanbul (TUR) – Cucine Lube Treia (ITA) 3-2 (25-21, 28-30, 21-25, 25-23, 15-9)
Paris Volley (FRA) – Belogorie Belgorod (RUS) 0-3 (18-25, 14-25, 22-25)
Standings: Belogorie Belgorod 3, Fenerbahce SK. Istanbul 2, Cucine Lube Treia 1, Paris Volley 0.
POOL G
Sir Safety Perugia (ITA) – Halkbank Ankara (TUR) 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 30-28)
Noliko Maaseik (BEL) – Tours VB (FRA) 3-2 (22-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-17, 16-14)
Standings: Sir Safety Perugia 3, Noliko Maaseik 2, Tours VB 1, Halkbank Ankara 0.
Fixtures
POOL A
Tuesday November 18 at 8.30pm
Knack Roeselare (BEL) – Copra Ardelia Piacenza (ITA)
(Isajlovic-Marenc)
POOL E
Thursday November 20 at 8.30pm
Cucine Lube Treia (ITA) – Paris Volley (FRA)
(Grieder-Herbik)
POOL G
Wednesday November 19 at 8.30pm
Tours VB (FRA) – Sir Safety Perugia (ITA)
(Lungu-Simonovska)
