Dramatic home wins for Trentino and Rzeszów create must-watch second legs in the semi-finals of the CEV Volleyball Cup Men

The first legs of the semi-finals in this season’s CEV Volleyball Cup Men produced highly dramatic matches, with everything to be decided in the second legs, as both hosts, Asseco Resovia Rzeszów and Trentino Itas, secured narrow 3:2 wins, against Tours VB and Ziraat Bank Ankara respectively.

Title holders Asseco Resovia Rzeszów were already warned by Tours’ combativity, as the French side came back from a 0:2 deficit in the away match of the quarter-finals against Knack Roeselare. And indeed, Tours provided a strong challenge, never giving up, despite being the outsiders in the match.

The French side, winners in the CEV Volleyball Cup Men in the 2016/17 season and runners up in the 2021/22 season, took the first and the third sets, 25:23 and 25:22, on the back of a stellar performance from opposite Ryan Joseph Sclater, who had 31 points. 

With Antoine Pothron and Leandro Nascimento dos Santos adding 14 and 12 points respectively, Tours tried their best to contain Asseco Resovia Rzeszów, but the Polish side came back immediately, taking the second and the fourth sets with the same scoreline, 25:21.

It all boiled down to the final set, and there, Asseco Resovia Rzeszów were stronger, taking full advantange of their home court. As Stephen Boyer finished the match with 28 points and Bartosz Bednorz added 23 points, Rzeszów were highly efficient in the decider, boasting a 71% attacking efficiency.

They were up from the start, leading 5:3, then improved their lead, 10:5, eventually clinching the fifth set and the match, 15:10. However, Tours will qualify to the final provided they clinch the away leg 3:0 or 3:1, with the doubleheader being pushed into the golden set if Rzeszów take two sets and end up losing 2:3 in France.

In a match spanning 145 minutes, the reigning title holders in the CEV Champions League Men, Trentino Itas, suffered, came back and eventually took a win against Ziraat Bank Ankara, but they needed all their energy and strength to mount a surprising comeback.

The Italian side went down 0:2, after Ankara mounted comebacks in each of the first two sets, which they took, 28:26 and 29:27, on the back of a 21-points outing from Matthew Anderson.

Five Ziraat Bank Ankara players had at least 10 points scored, including Wouter ter Maat, who had 16 points, and Vahit Emre Savaș, who added 12, but could not weather the storm brought by the Italian side.

Alessandro Michieletto had 27 points, while Kamil Rychlicki added 19 more points, as Trentino upped their game, securing a 50% efficiency in attack in both the third and the fourth sets, which they took, 25:21 and 25:23.

In the decider, Ankara failed to bring the goods, mustering a meagre 25% attacking efficiency, unlocking Trentino’s with, as the Italian side won the match, 15:8, aiming for the fourth final in the CEV Volleyball Cup Men in the past nine seasons.

“We fought hard and stayed in the game throughout all five sets. The initial 0-2 score was a bit misleading because we were playing well, but we faced a team that responded blow for blow at every moment. This is a fantastic victory, but in the second leg, in seven days, it will be even tougher,” said Michieletto.

The second legs will take place on Wednesday, 19 March, in Ankara and Tours.