Italy’s Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 claimed a 3-1 away victory over PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź in the first leg of the CEV Cup quarterfinals, putting the Serie A side in a strong position ahead of the return match in Turin on February 25.
The final scoreline, 25-27, 25-16, 21-25, 24-26, reflected a fiercely contested encounter in which momentum shifted repeatedly. Ultimately, Chieri’s resilience in key moments proved decisive, led by a standout performance from opposite Anneth Nemeth, who finished with 27 points, attacking at an impressive 57 percent efficiency. Her performance earned her Most Valuable Player honors.
Despite the positive result, concern loomed over the visitors after Chieri middle blocker Anna Gray was forced to leave the court on a stretcher late in the fourth set following an awkward landing.
Match at a Glance
- Result: PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź 1–3 Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76
- Set Scores: 25-27, 25-16, 21-25, 24-26
- MVP: Nemeth (27 points, 57% attack efficiency)
- Aces: Łódź 6, Chieri 4
- Winning Blocks: Łódź 10, Chieri 8
- Serve Errors: Łódź 10, Chieri 9
Chieri head coach Nicola Negro acknowledged the team’s inconsistency but praised their determination.
“It was a match with ups and downs, but taking a full victory away from home is extremely important ahead of the return leg,” Negro said post-match. “Unfortunately, we lost Anna Gray to injury, and we hope it’s nothing serious. Now we focus on recovery as we travel back to Italy for our final regular season commitment.”
