Lube

3

Warsaw

2

LUBE KITCHENS: D’heer 7, Gargiulo 9, Boninfante 4, Nikolov 26, Kukartsev 14, Bottolo 19, Balaso (L), Bisotto, Orduna, Podrascanin. NE Tenorio and Duflos-Rossi. Coach: Medei.

PGE PROJEKT WARSAWA: Firlej, Klos 8, Tillie 16, Semeniuk 10, Bednorz 20, Weber 12, Wojtaszek (L), Gomulka 3, Firszt, Strulak, Koppers, Kozlowski. NE Kochanowski and Olerendek. All. Nalepka.

Referees: Ivanov (Bul) and Kalin (Svi).

Partials: 25-23 (31′), 24-26 (30′), 25-19 (26′), 22-25 (30′), 15-12 (22′).

Notes: spectators 2.754; Lube missed serves 25, aces 3, blocks 15, reception 53% (perfect 34%), attack 50%; Projekt bs 21, aces 4, blocks 6, 65% (28%), 48%.

The third tiebreaker in eight days finally smiled on Lube, who defeated Warsaw 3-2 at the end of a marathon 139-minute match. Already qualified for the quarterfinals as the top seed in Group E, the red and whites exited the opening phase with five wins in six games. A different Civitanova, with Kukartsev in the starting six and, more importantly, the return of captain Balaso to the starting lineup. Nikolov was MVP and set up a remarkable 15 blocks against their rivals. On Sunday, the team travels to Cisterna, and on Wednesday, the final regular-season match is at home against Monza.

First set. Cheered on by thirty or so fans, Warsaw opened up a 0-3 lead, but Lube slowly settled in: 10-8. Tillie was blocked twice, and Civitanova went up by 4. The Poles tried to stay in the game, with Bednorz making it 22-20. Gargiulo made it 24-22, but the usual Bednorz (9 points, 70%) cancelled it out, then served, fired wide, and it was 1-0.

Second set. Just like before, Lube opens poorly, this time up 2-7. Gargiulo produces attacks and blocks, while Nikolov plays smart and makes it 12-14. The service doesn’t quite complete the comeback (6 errors), and Warsaw remains ahead 15-19. Bednorz makes it 21-24, but he himself attacks out at 23-24. Advantage. The spiker again finds the block-out, then Kukartsev makes an error.

Third set. On Bottolo’s service game, I take a 10-8 lead. The red and whites play well, D’heer’s block on Bednorz gives them a 20-16 lead, and Nikolov (7 points on 7/8) takes a 5-point lead. Weber serves long, 24-19, but D’heer doesn’t imitate him at all, finding an ace to put Lube back in front.

The fourth set. The set is the most evenly matched of all, a back-and-forth: 19-20. A disputed call (Cormio almost on the court), with the video check failing to show a touch that would have proven Lube right, leads to a 21-22 lead and Weber’s ace on Balaso. Boninfante, however, misses: 22-24, Klos’s block on Gargiulo makes it 2-2.

Fifth set. Angry about the incident, Lube takes a 6-3 lead with defense and Bottolo. The match ends 8-7, with Nikolov making it 13-10. Firlej serves into the net, then a glacial Bottolo closes the final credits.