Lube Civitanova missed the opportunity to fight for fifth place before the playoffs in the Italian SuperLega, after losing their away game to 10th-placed Cisterna di Latina 3:2 (23:25, 21:25, 25:22, 25:23, 12:15) after 2 hours and 32 minutes of play.
The news of the match between Piacenza and Trento, where Piacenza took a 2:1 lead in sets and secured at least one point, definitively deprived the Civitanova team of any chance to attack fifth position.
The match – from total control to a squandered clear victory
The match started excellently for the visitors. Lube imposed an aggressive serve, stable attack, and good defensive organization to take a 2:0 lead in sets.
After the second set, however, the dynamic changed. Cisterna raised its block level and began to read the visitors' setter's game better. In the third set, the home team scored 3 aces, while Lube recorded zero points from serve and block.
A similar picture unfolded in the fourth set. The block of the team from the Lazio region proved crucial in forcing the match into a tie-break, even though Lube had its chances to close the game 3:1.
In the fifth set, the visitors were more focused and managed to assert control in the decisive rallies, also aided by two aces. Despite the tie-break victory, the lost point proved crucial in the battle for the standings.
Individual Statistics
Alex Nikolov played an exceptional match and finished with 34 points (+15), 1 ace, 2 blocks, and 63% attack efficiency. However, the Bulgarian international made 11 errors from 16 serves. In reception, he recorded 70% positive reception.
Loepki added 15 points, and Pablo Kukartsev – 9, with 8 of them coming in the fourth and fifth sets. The inclusion of the Argentine opposite hitter could have been earlier, which likely would have changed the course of the match.
For Cisterna, the opposite hitter Barotto scored 29 points, and Yuga added 12.
Team Statistics
| Category | Cisterna | Lube |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 8 | 6 |
| Attack Efficiency | 46% | 56% |
| Attack Points | 54 | 75 |
| Positive Reception | 40% | 64% |
| Aces | 4 | 5 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 20 | 26 |
| Total points scored | 96 | 115 |
The statistics show a paradox – Lube outperforms the opponent in attack (56% vs 46%), has more attack points, and better reception. Nevertheless, Cisterna's block (8 vs 6) and better efficiency in the key moments of the third and fourth games tipped the balance.
A significant factor was also the guests' service errors, which limited their ability to exert constant pressure. Ultimately, the lost point proved crucial for Lube's ambitions in the standings before the playoffs. On February 25, Lube hosts Monza in a "Bulgarian" derby in the last match of the regular season. We recall that during their visit to Atanasov, Velichkov, and company in December, Lube suffered a loss, and Alex Nikolov received his first red card, which subsequently proved decisive for him to miss one league match.
