Civitanova’s Playoff Surge Crushes Perugia’s Hopes in Game 5 Semifinal Thriller
Cucine Lube Civitanova pulled off a stunning playoff comeback, defeating Sir Susa Vim Perugia 3-1 (29-27, 19-25, 17-25, 22-25) in Game 5 of the Italian SuperLega Semifinals at PalaBarton. After trailing 0-2 in the series,Lube secured three consecutive wins—two of them away—demonstrating impressive mental and technical strength. The result not only sends Lube to the Scudetto Final but also guarantees their qualification for the 2026 CEV Champions League. This victory marks the 10th Scudetto Final in Lube’s storied history.
Match Stars and Stats
MVP honors went to Mattia Bottolo, who scored 16 points and delivered a jaw-dropping 7 aces. Top scorer Adis Lagumdzija led the team with 18 points, while Alex Nikolov also posted 16. Giovanni Gargiulo added 11 crucial points.
For Perugia, Ben Tara was the most effective with 15 points, supported by Yuki Ishikawa with 13 and Sebastián Solé with 10.
How the Match Unfolded
The opening set went Perugia’s way, as they staged a comeback from 17-21 down to clinch it 29-27 thanks to two aces by Ben Tara and a decisive kill by Semeniuk. Lube, undeterred, roared back in the second set. Bottolo ignited the run with two serve aces, and Nikolov closed it out with authority at 19-25.
The third set showcased Lube’s serving dominance. They piled on five aces, with Lagumdzija hammering down points relentlessly, leaving Perugia trailing 17-25.
In the fourth, Perugia initially took control, riding a wave of home crowd energy to lead 16-13. But Bottolo turned the tide again with more aces, backed by Nikolov’s blocks. The set—and match—ended at 22-25 on a Perugia serve error.
What’s Next?
Lube will face Itas Trentino in the Scudetto Final, which begins Sunday, April 27 at 18:30 CET at the ilT quotidiano Arena. Trentino advanced after a clean sweep of Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza in their semifinal series.
Sir Susa Vim Perugia – Cucine Lube Civitanova 1-3 (29-27, 19-25, 17-25, 22-25)
Sir Susa Vim Perugia: Giannelli 2, Plotnytskyi 3, Solé 10, Ben Tara 15, Semeniuk 7, Loser 7, Piccinelli (L), Zoppellari, Herrera, Colaci (L), Ishikawa 13, Candellaro, Cianciotta, Usowicz
Cucine Lube Civitanova: Boninfante 1, Bottolo 16, Gargiulo 11, Lagumdzija 18, Nikolov 16, Chinenyeze 6, Loeppky, Orduna ne, Balaso, Bisotto (L), Poriya 3, Dirlic, Podrascanin, Tenorio (L)
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