COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 16, 2018) – Outside hitter Matt Anderson and his Russian team Zenit Kazan won the CEV Champions League title with a 29-27, 18-25, 23-25, 25-23, 17-15 win over setter Micah Christenson, outside hitter Taylor Sander, and Italy’s Cucine Lube Civitanova on May 13.
Anderson finished the final match with 11 points on seven kills, three blocks and one ace. Sander scored 15 points on 15 kills for Civitanova. Christenson scored four points on two blocks and two aces. He set Civitanova to a .479 hitting efficiency.
Outside hitter Aaron Russell, setter James Shaw and Sir Safety Perugia won the bronze medal with a 17-25, 29-27, 19-25, 25-23, 15-7 win over Poland’s Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle.
Russell scored 15 points on 14 kills and one ace. Shaw played as a substitute and score one point on one kill.
VOLLEYBALL NATIONS LEAGUE
The U.S. Men begin Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on May 25-27 in China.
The FIVB has chosen FloVolleyball to show the matches online via a subscription service.
U.S. Men’s 2018 VNL Schedule (All times PT)
In Ningbo, China
May 25 at 1 a.m.: Argentina vs USA
May 26 at 1 a.m.: Bulgaria vs USA
May 27 at 4:30 a.m.: China vs USA
In Goiânia, Brazil
June 1 at 8:15 a.m.: Japan vs USA
June 2 at 7:10 a.m.: Korean vs USA
June 3 at 8:40 a.m.: Brazil vs USA
In Ottawa, Canada
June 8 at 1:40 p.m.: Germany vs USA
June 9 at 1:10 p.m.: Australia vs USA
June 10 at 1:10 p.m.: Canada vs USA
In Hoffman Estates, Ill., USA –
June 15 at 6 p.m.: USA vs Serbia
June 16 at 5:30 p.m.: USA vs Poland
June 17 at 3:30 p.m.: USA vs Iran
In Modena, Italy
June 22 at 8:30 a.m.: USA vs France
June 23 at 8:30 a.m.: USA vs Russia
June 24 at 11:30 a.m.: Italy vs USA
Final Round (must qualify): July 1-4 in Lille, France
ITALY
Russell, Shaw and Perugia won the Italian league playoffs, defeating Christenson, Sander and Civitanova, 3-2 in the final series.
RUSSIA
Anderson and Zenit Kazan swept Zenit St. Petersburg, 3-0 in the finals of the Russian league. Kazan also won the 2017 Russian Cup, the 2017 FIVB Club World Championship and the 2017-18 CEV Champions League this season.
POLAND
Middle blocker Dan McDonnell and Trefl Gdańsk finished third in the Polish league finals, defeating Indykpol AZS Olsztyn, 2-0. In the second match on May 5, Gdańsk won 25-16, 20-25, 25-19, 25-18. McDonnell scored six points on four kills and two block.
FRANCE
Middle blocker Mitch Stahl and Paris fell to setter Michael Saeta and Chaumont, 26-24, 19-25, 25-16, 25-20 in the semifinals of the French league on April 25. Stahl scored seven points on five kills, one block and one ace. Saeta played as a substitute.
In the final on May 5, Chaumont fell to Tours, 22-25, 25-13, 25-17, 25-18. Saeta played as a substitute.
GERMANY
Outside hitter Kyle Russelland the Berlin Recycling Volleys beat VFB Friedrichshafen in the league finals, 3-2. Russell played as a substitute in the finals match on May 9 when Berlin won, 25-20, 25-17, 25-22.