Chieri edge Dresdner again to book place in #CEVCupW final
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Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri '76 confirmed their place in the 2025/26 CEV Volleyball Cup Women final after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Dresdner SC in the return leg of their semifinal in Turin. Backed by 2,060 home fans, the Italian side completed a double success following their comeback win in Germany to secure progression after another dramatic five-set battle.
Chieri made a flying start to the match, dominating the opening set 25-13 with strong serving pressure and efficient attacking. However, Dresdner responded immediately in the second set, levelling the match at 1-1 with a solid 25-17 performance, led by their standout opposite Marta Kamelija Levinska.
The third set proved crucial in the context of the match and the tie. In a tense battle that extended to 28-26, Chieri showed composure in the decisive moments to regain the lead, with Réka Németh and Stella Nervini delivering key points under pressure. Dresdner refused to back down and forced a tiebreak by taking the fourth set 25-23, keeping their hopes alive and setting up another dramatic finish between the two sides.
In the decisive fifth set, Chieri held their nerve once again. The Italian side managed the key rallies more effectively to close the set 15-12 and seal their place in the final after 116 minutes of high-level volleyball.
Németh led Chieri’s offence with 28 points, while Nervini added 19 and Anastasia Cekulaev contributed 15, including four aces. For Dresdner, Levinska delivered an outstanding performance with a match-high 33 points, but her efforts were not enough to overturn the result of the tie.
With this victory, Chieri – already winners of the Challenge Cup in 2023 and the CEV Cup in 2024 – move one step closer to another European title, confirming their consistency at the highest level.