La Cucine Lube Civitanova won 3:1 (25:17, 25:22, 23:25, 25:21) against the persistent team ofCisterna Volleyin a match from the fourth round of the Italian Superlega. The victory allowed Gianpaolo Medei's team to climb to the top of the standings with 10 points, but the match was far from an easy ride. Lube had to work hard, especially after the difficult third set, in which the opponent managed to take advantage of a moment of lapse in concentration by the hosts.
The brightest figure for the hosts was once againAlex Nikolov, who scored16 points(3 blocks) and 46% in attack, being onlyfour points from 100since the start of the season – an indicator of his consistency and leading role in the attack of the Italian Cup holders and silver medalists from the 2024/25 season. The Bulgarian was an equal top scorer with Botolo - 16 (2 blocks, 1 ace), with both of them carrying the decisive phases of the match.
Match statistics
| Team | Result | Attack | Block | Ace | Service errors | Defensive reactions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lube Civitanova | 3 | 55% | 10 | 6 | 27 | 44% (20%) |
| Cisterna Volley | 1 | 43% | 6 | 6 | 25 | 40% (23%) |
Lube outplayed their opponent in attack and block, but 27 service errors kept the tension high until the end. Nevertheless, the stability of Nikolov and Gardjilo (MVP, 11 points) tipped the scales.
This wasa typical tough home match– from those that distinguish mature from ambitious teams. Lube started slowly in each set, but showed maturity when the stakes were high. Alex Nikolov, already established as a leading scorer, demonstrated confidence rarely seen in a 21-year-old player. If he maintains the same rhythm, the 100-point mark will be just another milestone in his season of leadership.
