Perugia Powers into the Final Four with a Statement Win!

Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia delivered a commanding performance to punch their ticket to the CEV Champions League Final Four, edging out MINT Vero Volley Monza in a thrilling 3-1 victory at the PalaBarton. Despite a spirited fight from the visitors, Perugia’s firepower and resilience proved too much to handle.

Dominant Start by Perugia

The match began on even footing, but it was Perugia who seized the early momentum. A relentless attacking display from Yuki Ishikawa kept Monza on the back foot, forcing head coach Massimo Eccheli into an early timeout at 13-9. The hosts continued to press, stretching their lead to 20-14, and despite Monza saving a set point, Perugia comfortably closed out the first set 25-18.

Monza Strikes Back

Determined to respond, MINT Vero Volley showed grit in the second set, battling point for point (5-5, 8-6). An ace from Szwarc leveled the score at 15-15, and a powerful block by Averill put the visitors ahead 15-16. Perugia fought back to 17-17, but Monza maintained their composure in crunch time. At 19-21, they earned two set points and converted the second to take the set 25-23, keeping their Final Four dreams alive.

Perugia Turns Up the Heat

The third set started as another close contest, but Perugia quickly shifted gears. A towering block from Solé ignited the home crowd as the lead stretched to 11-7, and an offensive surge from Ben Tara widened the gap to 18-8. Monza had no answers for Perugia’s dominance, as the hosts cruised to a 25-14 win, moving within one set of qualification.

A Dramatic Finale

Refusing to go down without a fight, Monza reshuffled their lineup and raced to a 6-11 lead in the fourth set. But Perugia, backed by their roaring fans, clawed their way back to 11-11, setting up a tense battle. The visitors made another push behind Frascio and Averill, regaining a 17-21 advantage. However, Perugia refused to fold, showing nerves of steel to erase three set points and force extra points at 24-24. In a nail-biting finish, Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia seized their opportunity, finally closing out the set 31-29 to seal the match and their place in the Final Four.

Final result 3:1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-14, 31-29)

MVP Yuki Ishikawa (19 points, 1 block)