Kamil Semeniuk was once again named MVP for his consistent performance and reliability during the match’s most crucial moments. Wassim Ben Tara led all scorers with an impressive 27 points, including 3 aces and 3 blocks. Captain Giannelli orchestrated an offense where every starter reached double-digit scoring. Middle blockers Russo and Crosato contributed 13 and 10 points respectively, while outside hitter Oleh Plotnytskyi added 20 points, an ace, and two blocks alongside Semeniuk. Massimo Colaci provided his usual stability in defense. The Block Devils concluded a lengthy and fiercely contested Champions League quarter-final clash with 6 aces, a 47% attack efficiency, and 13 blocks.
The match opened with a back-row attack from Semeniuk, swiftly answered by Spencer’s quick hit, followed by Bruno. Ben Tara equalized, and the teams traded points, with Plotnytskyi’s pipe shot tying it at 3-3. The early exchanges remained tight until Perugia’s Tunisian opposite hitter secured the first break with an attack and a block on Spencer. Camarero called a timeout, but upon returning, Perugia extended their lead through Plotnytskyi’s attack, making it 7-11. Russo’s quick hit and Semeniuk’s attack provided excellent side-out against Spencer’s powerful serve. Ramos narrowed the gap with a quick hit, countered by an identical attack from Crosato. As the set intensified, Semeniuk’s attack gave the Block Devils a three-point cushion, but the home team quickly closed in. Ramos then erred on serve, missing a chance to equalize, allowing Russo to spearhead a run that put Perugia up 15-19. Walla scored off the block, Semeniuk kept his team ahead, and De Amo set up Juantorena to keep the set alive. Rousseaux brought his team to within a point with a block on Semeniuk, leading to a tense, point-for-point finish. Bruno’s service error handed Sir a set point, which Ramos cancelled with a quick hit before Plotnytskyi ultimately sealed the set 23-25.
The second set began with a block from Russo. De Amo quickly equalized with a second-touch play, but another successful block by Russo, this time on Osmany Juantorena, gave Perugia a 1-4 lead. The Block Devils maintained control, even as Guaguas improved their defense. Crosato’s quick hit secured a point, and Ben Tara landed an ace right on the lines, extending the lead to 4-8. Another quick hit from Crosato, followed by an attack error from Walla, pushed Perugia into double digits. Semeniuk then added an ace, making it 5-11. Ramos scored with a quick hit, but Plotnytskyi and Semeniuk further widened the gap. Ben Tara’s block on Juantorena made it 9-16 for Sir Sicoma Monini, who comfortably held their distance. Spencer’s service error allowed the Block Devils to surge ahead by eight points. Juantorena surprised Ben Tara with a back-row attack, and Ramos blocked Crosato’s quick hit, giving Las Palmas a slight recovery, though Walla then erred from the nine-meter line. Russo blocked Walla’s attack, and Plotnytskyi brought his team within two points of the set’s end at 16-23. Juantorena found a deep diagonal, but Ben Tara secured set point. Crosato closed out the set 19-25.
Las Palmas sought to reignite the match and started strong in the third set, fueled by Juantorena’s powerful attacks. Ben Tara equalized from the nine-meter line (5-5) and then maintained the balance. The Block Devils made a few attack errors, allowing the home team to widen the gap, but they recovered swiftly thanks to Oleh Plotnytskyi, who executed a superb defense, followed by a successful attack and a winning block that brought the score back to parity (10-10). Walla scored with a tip off the block, and Ben Tara also scored off Rousseaux’s block. Two consecutive quick hits from Federico Crosato gave Perugia a break (13-15), but Las Palmas quickly closed in and equalized through Walla. However, Giannelli set Plotnytskyi, whose back-row attack kept his team ahead. The central part of the set saw point-for-point exchanges, including a block by Ramos on Semeniuk. Giannelli’s first-touch play clinched a crucial point, but Juantorena’s diagonal shot kept it even. Two blocks from Rousseaux on Giannelli then propelled the home team three points ahead (21-18). Plotnytskyi reversed the momentum, and Russo’s slash brought his team within two points. However, the hosts reached set point due to a service error from Plotnytskyi and ultimately claimed the set 25-21.
The fourth set began with long rallies, as the Canary Islands team started with high intensity. Semeniuk scored an ace to tie it at 3-3 but then made an error. The teams proceeded point-for-point, with Rousseaux’s block on Ben Tara giving Las Palmas a 9-8 lead. Spencer then served out, and Dzavoronok’s tip off the block allowed Perugia to take the lead, further extended by the Tunisian opposite’s ace, making it 9-11. Ramos’s quick hit brought his team back into contention, and the set was re-balanced by Dzavoronok’s service error. Plotnytskyi then secured a breakpoint, De Amo set Spencer who scored, and Walla equalized at 15-15. The back-and-forth continued with relentless side-outs. Plotnytskyi first found Ramos’s hands and then scored with a diagonal shot, while Walla kept the set balanced at 20-20. Crosato delivered a crucial block on Juantorena during the most intense part of the set, but the point-for-point battle continued. The Italian-Cuban hitter, first with a block on Ben Tara and then with an attack, denied the Block Devils any attempt to pull away. Mendez Spencer’s quick hit earned set point for the hosts. Perugia saved one, but Spencer ultimately closed the set 23-25.
In the final, decisive set, Perugia took an early lead. Rousseaux’s diagonal shot answered Russo’s quick hit, initiating another point-for-point battle marked by attack and service errors from both sides. Semeniuk’s block on Walla earned a crucial breakpoint for Perugia, making it 4-6. Ben Tara extended the lead, and Plotnytskyi delivered an ace that sent Perugia to the changeover ahead 8-4. Rousseaux narrowed the gap with a pipe attack, but the Ukrainian hitter from Sir Sicoma Monini immediately countered with the same powerful attack, increasing the advantage to 5-9. The Block Devils reached double digits after an attack error from Juantorena. Ben Tara’s diagonal shot kept Perugia ahead, Dzavoronok served into the net, and Crosato brought his team within two points of match point at 10-13. Juantorena then scored to shorten the deficit, but Ramos served long, giving Sir three match points. The thrilling finale saw the Canary Islands team fight back to close the gap, but Ben Tara ultimately secured the set 13-15, winning the match.
Coach Angelo Lorenzetti’s Comments
“Our start in the first two sets was as strong as it has been in a while. However, from the third set onwards, we lost some of our sharpness, particularly in attack and serving, and the match became complicated. Unlike our group stage encounter, we didn’t give up in the fourth set, but they managed to side-out consistently, and we narrowly missed winning that partial. In the tie-break, things improved; we found a decent serving rhythm, and thus we bring home this result, which, of course, isn’t a guarantee of anything but gives us a slightly better chance.”
Oleh Plotnytskyi’s Comments
“We knew this would be a tough match. They have improved significantly compared to the two times we faced them in the Pool stage. We played well for two sets, then we dropped our intensity and made several mistakes in our play. In the tie-break, we showed patience, taking it point by point, and didn’t waste our chances, which led us to victory. Now we await the return match in Perugia, where everything will be decided.”
Match Statistics
GUAGUAS LAS PALMAS (ESP) – SIR SICOMA MONINI PERUGIA 2-3 (23-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-23, 13-15)
Guaguas Las Palmas (ESP)
- Bruno 3
- Mendes Spencer 15
- Juantorena Portuondo 14
- Bezerra Souza (Walla) 20
- De Amo Fernandez-Echevarria 2
- Larrañaga Ledo (L)
- Colito
- Rousseaux 12
- Ramos 14
- Did not play: Perez Figueroa, Almansa, Diedhiou, Montesdeoca Santana, Dimitrov.
Coach: Camarero.
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia
- Argilagos
- Dzavoronok 1
- Cvanciger
- Giannelli 1
- Ben Tara 28
- Colaci (L)
- Semeniuk 13
- Plotnytskyi 20
- Russo 14
- Crosato 10
- Did not play: Sole’, Ishikawa, Gaggini.
Coach: Lorenzetti.
Referees: Krticka, Goncalves.
Set Durations: 33′, 29′, 30′, 31′, 22′; Total Match Duration: 145′.
MVP: Kamil Semeniuk (Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia)
