COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 13, 2016) – Setter Micah Christenson has rejoined Cucine Lube Civitanova in Italy’s Serie A league.
Christenson (Honolulu, Hawaii) was late reporting to Italy because of his wedding to (the former) Brooke Fournier on Aug. 28, one week after he won the Olympic bronze medal with the U.S. Men’s National Team in Rio de Janeiro.
In their first match on Oct. 9, Christenson and Civitanova beat LPR Piacenza, 25-20, 27-25, 25-9. Christenson scored two points on two kills and set his team to a .528 hitting efficiency.
In other Italian league action, outside hitter Aaron Russell (Ellicott City, Md.) and Sir Safety Pergugia defeated setter James Shaw (Woodside, Calif.), middle blocker Taylor Averill (San Jose, Calif.) and Kioene Padova, 14-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-20 on Oct. 9. Russell led all scorers with 17 points on 16 kills and one ace. He was credited with 14 receptions, 36 percent positive. Shaw scored four points on three kills and one block and set his team to a .500 hitting efficiency. Averill scored four points on three kills and one ace.
Middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio), outside hitter Brian Cook (Santa Cruz, Calif.) and Azimut Modena defeated Revivre Milano, 25-20, 25-18, 23-25, 25-23 on Oct. 9. Cook scored 15 points on 13 attacks and two aces. Holt added seven points on five kills and two blocks.
Middle blocker Conrad Kaminski (New Berlin, Wis.) and Bunge Ravenna defeated Top Volley Latina, 25-20, 19-25, 34-32, 23-25, 15-12 on Oct. 7. Kaminski started the first four sets and scored eight points on seven kills and one ace.
POLAND
Outside hitter Scott Touzinsky (St. Louis, Mo.) and Jastrzębski Węgiel defeated AZS Częstochowa, 25-16, 25-22, 25-16 on Oct. 7. Touzinsky scored two points on two attacks and was credited with 18 receptions, 61 percent positive.
Middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.), libero Dustin Watten (Long Beach, Calif.) and Cerrad Czarni Radom fell to BBTS Bielsko-Biała, 25-20, 25-23, 25-27, 25-21 on Oct. 10. Smith scored seven points on three kills, a team-high three blocks and one ace. Watten was credited with 14 receptions, 64 percent positive.
Setter Jonah Seif (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and MKS Będzin fell to Lotos Trefl Gdańsk, 25-22, 17-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13. Seif scored seven points on a match-high four blocks, two kills and one ace. He set his team to a .416 hitting efficiency. Outside hitter Kyle Russell (Loomis, Calif.) plays for Będzin but did not play in the match.
RUSSIA
Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), who plays opposite for the U.S. Men, plays outside hitter for
his Russian team Zenit Kazan, which beat Belogorie Belgorod, 25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 25-17 on Oct. 12. Anderson scored 12 points on seven kills, and five blocks. He was credited with 24 receptions, 50 percent positive.
NETHERLANDS
Abiant Lycurgus Groningen, which includes U.S. setter Matt West (Seattle, Wash.), outside hitter Mikelis Berzins (Brinklow, Md.) and middle blocker Nick Olson (New Berlin, Wis.) won the Netherlands’ SuperCup, 25-16, 25-13, 25-16 over VC Zolle on Oct. 2.