Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 secured a spot in the CEV Challenge Cup final after a dramatic semifinal clash against Galatasaray Daikin Istanbul. Despite losing 1-3 (25-22, 20-25, 23-25, 25-27) at the Pala Gianni Asti in Turin, the Italian team triumphed 15-13 in the golden set, keeping their European title hopes alive.
Chieri’s 34-match winning streak in Europe came to an end, but the team delivered a gutsy performance, battling back after Galatasaray overturned the first-leg result. The match saw intense rallies, with Chieri initially taking the first set before Galatasaray fought back to claim the next three. The golden set was a nail-biter, with Chieri pushing past the Turkish side in a point-for-point battle.
MVP of the match was Anne Buijs, who led all scorers with 25 points, closely followed by Lucille Gicquel (24). For Galatasaray, Lazovic (21), Carutasu (19), and Aydin (16) stood out.
This marks Chieri’s third European final in two years, following their CEV Challenge Cup 2022/23 and CEV Cup 2023/24 victories. They now aim for back-to-back Challenge Cup titles, with the finals set for early March. Their opponent will be decided between Roma and Potsdam.
Final Score:
Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 – Galatasaray Daikin Istanbul 1-3 (25-22, 20-25, 23-25, 25-27, 15-13 golden set)
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