Aleksandar Nikolov delivered a true volleyball spectacle in the Italian SuperLega! The Bulgarian international scored a phenomenal 35 points, including 5 aces, leading Cucine Lube Civitanova to their fourth consecutive victory since the start of the season. Giampaolo Medei's team triumphed over the formidable Modena with a 3:1 (25:21, 33:31, 29:31, 25:23) in a dramatic clash from the fourth round.
In front of their home crowd at the "Eurosuole Forum," Lube ended a streak of three consecutive defeats against this opponent, and the great hero was Aleksandar Nikolov, who became the main attacking force for the hosts.

The Bulgarian outside hitter finished with an impressive29 points from attack, 5 aces, and 1 successful block. His 35 points represent more than one-third of all points scored by Lube in the four sets. Logically and unequivocally, he was chosen as the player of the match.
His younger brother, Simeon Nikolov, also contributed to the success. The Bulgarian setter recorded 6 points – 3 from attack, 2 blocks, and 1 ace.

Drama in four sets and two marathons over 30 points

Lube started the first set with a 10:6 lead, but Modena gradually caught up and turned it around to 18:17. The hosts regained the initiative at 21:19, the visitors equalized at 21:21, but in the final rallies, the team from Civitanova snatched the victory with 25:23.
In the second set, Modena led 20:17, but Lube made a comeback and reached set point first at 24:23. The hosts missed more opportunities to close the set, and after 29:29, the visitors won two consecutive points for 31:29 and equalized.
The third set offered another incredible battle. Modena had an advantage of 15:11 and 20:17, but Lube caught up again. The visitors first had the opportunity to close the set at 24:23 but missed five consecutive set points. The hosts withstood the pressure and after 31:31, won two consecutive points for 33:31.
In the fourth set, Lube literally overwhelmed their opponent with 5:0, increased their lead to 15:7, and controlled the game's development. Modena managed to reduce the deficit at the end, but the hosts closed the set with 25:21, ending a streak of three consecutive losses against this opponent.

35 points that made the difference

Statistics show how significant Aleksandar Nikolov's role was in the success. After his 35 points, Lube's second-highest scorer is Canadian Eric Loeppky with 14, followed by Mattia Bottolo with 12 and Antonin Kliemes with 10.

For Modena, the top scorer was Pardo Mati with 16 points, including 6 successful blocks. Luca Porro added 15 points and 3 aces, and Dutch international Sil Meijs finished with 14.

The difference between Nikolov and the other attackers on the court is particularly impressive. The Bulgarian scored more than twice as many points as the opponent's top scorer.

End of the unpleasant streak against Modena

The victory also holds special historical significance. Before the match, Modena had won the last three direct clashes with Lube, including both matches of the regular season of the previous championship.
The last success of the team from Civitanova against this opponent was on November 17, 2024, when the hosts won 3:0 (25:11, 25:17, 25:20).
Now, almost two years later, Lube has once again found the path to victory against their traditional rival, and the 114th match between the two clubs will remain special due to Aleksandar Nikolov's incredible performance.
With their fourth consecutive victory, Giampaolo Medei's team now has 12 points out of a possible 12 and continues undefeated in the Italian SuperLega.

And for Bulgarian volleyball fans, the evening in Civitanova brought yet another proof of the enormous potential of the Nikolov brothers - Simeon orchestrated the game, while Aleksandar turned Lube's attacks into a real nightmare for Modena's defense.

photos:legavolley.it