Cucine Lube Civitanova achieved a routine and fully deserved 3:0 (25:20, 25:13, 25:18) victory over Acqua S.Bernardo Cuneo in an Italian SuperLega match played at the "Eurosuole Forum". The match turned into a real celebration for Bulgarian national player Alex Nikolov, who turned 22 today, and the audience marked the occasion with a special poster in his honor.

Dominance from the very first set

The match started evenly, with both teams going point for point until 10:10. Then Nikolov scored his second point in the match, which was also his 156th for the season, initiating a run in favor of Lube. The lead quickly widened after two blocks against Ivan Zaytsev, who returned to the hall where he spent five seasons.

The hosts scored three aces during this period, and after two consecutive serving points in Mattia Bottolo's zone – for 21:18 and 21:19 – he was replaced by Frenchman Noah Rossi. Nikolov completed a brilliant attack from the back row for 23:19, and then he gave Lube set point with a strong serve. A serving error from the visitors sealed the success in the first set. Alex finished the set with 6 points, 42% attack efficiency, and one ace.

Second set – total superiority

Lube started the second set with a whirlwind, dominating in all elements. Nikolov and Bottolo demonstrated high efficiency, and the hosts pressed hard with their serves, despite an increasing number of errors in this element.

The lead reached 11 points after a series of inaccuracies by Cuneo in attack – 21:10. By the end, the visitors managed to add only 3 points. Nikolov finished this part with an impressive 10 points and 3 aces, reaching a total of 165 points for the season.

Third set – a brief slump, but no surprise

Cuneo started the third set more confidently, taking advantage of a momentary lapse in Lube's concentration. But gradually, the hosts regained their rhythm, and serving errors continued to accumulate mainly on their side.

Nikolov scored his 12th point at 13:11 for Lube – a score that symbolized the final turn towards victory. The good play of the visitors' setter Michele Baranowicz, who also spent two seasons at Lube, was not enough for Cuneo. Canadian national player Eric Loeppky also played well for Lube, adding depth to their attack.

After an attack out of bounds by the visitors, Lube got their first match point. The match ended quickly after Loeppky served an ace – a point that also earned him the MVP award.

Individual performances

The audience did not miss celebrating Alex Nikolov's birthday; he finished the match with 15 points, +4, including 3 aces and 48% in attack – perfectly in line with the festive mood. Mattia Bottolo also scored as many points, impressing with seven aces – an exceptionally high figure for a match of this level.

Eric Loeppky added 14 points (1 block and 2 aces), solidifying his status as a key figure in Lube's attack.

For the visitors, Nathan Feral was the top scorer with 12 points, including 3 aces, but he was the only player to reach double digits.

Looking ahead

With this success, Lube is in fifth place in the SuperLega standings. In the next round, the team from the Marche region will have a Bulgarian derby against Vero Volley Monza, where Zhasmin Velichkov and Martin Atanasov play.

The match is shaping up to be crucial for Lube's momentum in the middle of the season and will undoubtedly attract the interest of Bulgarian fans.