PERUGIA beat TOURS and top Pool B into the quarterfinals

The Italian powerhouse of Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA have made the best of the tournament held in their home theatre of Pala Barton. After beating CIVITANOVA on Wednesday they now beat TOURS VB 3-1 which made them end up on top of Pool B. Together with their fellow Italians from CIVITANOVA they have qualified for the quarterfinals. The team coached by Belgian Vital Heynen will have their focus on Luxembourg Friday at noon, as that's the time the Drawing of Lots will take place.

During the first set it didn't seem like PERUGIA would have an easy evening. TOURS came out all guns blazing with thunderous serves and strong blocks. They won it 25-18. After that set the nerves had settled for PERUGIA and they began showing some strengths of their own. Ten stuff blocks in the second and third set and six aces overwhelmed the French side. PERUGIA won 25-15 and 25-14.

The third set TOURS came back stronger, but in the end a Oleg Plonytskyi serving series set PERUGIA on their path to victory. MVP Wilfredo Leon finished the match off by scoring off the block. 25-21.

Aleksandar Atanasijevic, opposite for Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA:

“We already knew that Tours was a great team. We had nothing to lose tonight and we expected a tough match. We have played well and we succeeded in both taking victory and first place in Pool B.”

Luke Perry, libero of TOURS VB:

“I think the first set was obviously good. We were really disappointed with the second and the third set closed at 15 and 14 points each, and we were really disappointed of this. Final set we came back but there were still one or two easy mistakes and against Perugia you cannot make easy mistakes. I think it was the same in the match against Lube, we had maybe one- two good sets, but in the end against these teams you have to be good for the long period.”

• Sebastian Sole’ was in great blocking form for PERUGIA, he scored 6 stuffs, which was more than the total amount of blocks by TOURS (5)

• Wilfredo Leon Venero was top scorer of the match with 18 points, he hit 3 aces and made 3 blocks. He was chosen as the MVP

• Pablo Ventura Machado was top scorer for TOURS, he scored 15

• PERUGIA are one of four Italian teams to reach the 2021 CEV Champions League quarterfinals