Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 delivered a statement win in the CEV Challenge Cup semifinal first leg, defeating Galatasaray Daikin Istanbul 3-1 (29-27, 20-25, 17-25, 17-25) in Turkey. Despite missing Omoruyi, Chieri showed resilience, bouncing back after a tight first set loss. Skinner led the charge with 23 points, supported by Buijs (18), Gicquel (16), and Alberti (12). A dominant blocking performance (16 points) and a 52% attack efficiency secured their advantage ahead of the return leg.
Meanwhile, SC Potsdam pulled off a thrilling 3-2 (25-21, 21-25, 19-25, 25-15, 15-9) comeback win over Roma Volley Club. Trailing 1-2, Potsdam turned the match around with a dominant fourth set and a decisive tiebreaker. Harbin, Koulberg and Holthaus powered the attack, while MVP, libero Yurika Bamba’s defensive brilliance proved crucial. The second leg in Rome promises an intense battle for a spot in the final.
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