Chieri stage remarkable comeback to defeat Dresdner in five-set #CEVCupW semifinal thriller
Recap
Italy’s Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri '76 produced a spectacular comeback on Thursday night to defeat Dresdner SC 3-2 in the first leg of their 2025/26 CEV Volleyball Cup Women semifinal in Dresden. After trailing by two sets, the Italian side turned the match around to claim a crucial away victory in front of 2,921 spectators at the Margon Arena.
DRESDNER SC (GER) vs Reale Mutua Fenera CHIERI'76 (ITA) 2-3 (25-23, 26-24, 14-25, 14-25, 10-15)
The German hosts started the encounter with great intensity and managed to take control of the match early on. Dresdner edged a tight opening set 25-23 before surviving another close battle in the second to double their lead at 26-24, with Mette Marleen Pfeffer and Marta Kamelija Levinska leading the attack. At that stage, the home side looked firmly on course to secure a valuable advantage in the two-legged semifinal series.
However, Chieri responded emphatically after the interval. Inspired by a superb offensive performance from Stella Nervini, the visitors dominated the third and fourth sets, winning both by an identical 25-14 scoreline to completely shift the momentum of the match. Nervini finished as the match’s top scorer with an outstanding 30 points, including 27 winning spikes, while teammates Anna Künzler and Réka Németh added 16 and 17 points respectively to keep the Italian side’s offence flowing.
With the match heading into a decisive tiebreak, Chieri maintained their momentum and composure. The visitors built an early advantage and controlled the final rallies to close the set 15-10 and seal the comeback victory after 118 minutes of play. Libero Ilaria Spirito also played a key role in the success, delivering the most efficient reception performance of the match with 35% perfect receptions helping stabilise Chieri’s defence and transition game.
Despite the defeat, Dresdner had strong individual contributions from Pfeffer (17 points), Levinska and Lorena Lorber Fijok (14 points apiece), while their blocking remained effective with Pfeffer recording three winning blocks. Nevertheless, the German side could not maintain their early rhythm as Chieri gradually took control of the contest.
The result puts Chieri, already winners of the 2023 Challenge Cup and the 2024 CEV Cup, in a strong position as they pursue a third European title in four seasons. The decisive return leg in Italy next week will determine which of the two teams secures a coveted place in the #CEVCupW final to play there the winner of the double-header featuring Galatasaray Daikin ISTANBUL (TUR) and C.S.O. VOLUNTARI 2005 (ROU).
Alexander Waibl“We played two strong sets and two weak ones. The first two sets were outstanding, but then we stopped receiving well and consequently stopped scoring points on offense. We also stopped putting enough pressure on them with our serves, while Chieri stepped it up, and then it got tough. We tried to force the issue, but we lost our rhythm, partly because we are not used to playing against teams like this all the time.”
Head coach of DRESDNER SC