Cucine Lube Civitanova experienced an unpleasant surprise from Pallavolo Padova at home in Round 2 of the 2022-23 Italian Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Lube succumbed to the favorite killers, Padova, in the tie-break of Round 2’s home match of the 2022-23 SuperLega Credem Banca. The latter team beat Valsa Group Modena in Round 1, but tonight’s scalp of the reigning champions of Italy is of even greater significance.
The Japanese outside hitter, Ran Takahashi (22 points), and the Serbian opposite, Dušan Petković (21 points), stood out for Padova. Andrea Canella made 4 blocks. Mattia Bottolo top-scored for Lube, for which Ivan Zaytsev played as an outside hitter (due to the poor physical condition of the Cuban, Marlon Yant) with 19 points.
As it seems at the moment, even though it’s too early, Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza’s title euphoria is on a shaky basis. With a great team performance, Modena beat them 3 to 1 and earned the first victory of the season in which the Turkish opposite, Adis Lagumdžija, scored 21 points, redeeming for a defeat in the opening round to, as we said, Padova. Yuri Romanò tallied 20 points and Edoardo Caneschi had 4 blocks on the losing side, who suffered its second defeat of the season.
Thus, the team commanded by Andrea Giani made a very good prelude for the capital challenge in the next round against Lube. Clearly, the same can’t be said for their next rivals.
Sir Safety Susa Perugia returned with three points in the pocket from nearby Siena. The ’Block Devils’ imposed themselves in four sets against Emma Villas Aubay Siena, not without suffering, though. Nevertheless, Andrea Anastasi’s team recorded its second win.
More importantly for the fans of the vice-champions was that the triumph was achieved mostly thanks to the Cuban-Polish superstar, Wilfredo León, who showed to be in optimal form after missing the entire international season due to rehabilitation from knee surgery. He top-scored for Perugia with 21 points, including 5 aces. The Serbian international, Nemanja Petrić, tallied 15 points on the losing side.
2022-23 SuperLega Credem Banca – regular season, Round 2:
