COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 5, 2019) – The three Ms of Modena – Matt Anderson, Micah Christenson and Max Holt – helped their Italian club team to the silver medal at the SuperCoppa on Nov. 2 in Civitanova Marche.
Modena won the semifinal over host Civitanova on Nov. 1, 25-23, 25-21, 27-29, 25-20. Anderson, at outside hitter, scored 17 points. Middle blocker Holt had 11 and setter Christenson scored three. The match included a tremendous rally that saw Holt get hit in the forehead with the ball. Christenson then ran off the court to retrieve it and Modena got the point on a kill. Rally video above.
Outside hitter Aaron Russell and Itas Trentino lost to Perugia in the other semifinal, 21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22. Russell scored 16 points in the match.
Modena fell to Sir Safety Perugia in the final, 27-25, 23-25, 25-23, 18-25, 15-12. Anderson finished with 22 points, Holt had eight and Christenson scored two.
In Italian league play, Trentino, Modena and Civitanova are all undefeated at 2-0. Garrett Muagututia, Jennings Franciskovic, Corey Chavers and their team Calzedona Verona are 1-1. T.J. DeFalco and Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia are 0-1.
THOMAS JAESCHKE UPDATE
Outside hitter Thomas Jaeschke suffered a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum when he was injured diving for a ball during a World Cup match against Poland.
Jaeschke has had surgery to repair the labrum and is expected to be back with the team in May.
“I plan to focus on my rehabilitation, so I am ready to compete for the U.S. team in 2020,” Jaeschke said. “I am working with the best doctors and therapists so that I am ready.”
Jaeschke was signed to play for Italy’s Calzedona Verona during the winter of 2019-20.
GERMANY
Many U.S. Men’s National Team players have competed for the Berlin Recycling Volleys over the years, but 2019-20 may be a record with five U.S. players on the team.
Opposite Kyle Ensing, outside hitter J.T. Hatch, middle blocker Jeff Jendryk, outside hitter Cody Kessel and opposite Ben Patch are all playing in Berlin this winter.
Berlin is 5-0 and leads the German Bundesliga. Most recently, it beat Volley Eltmann, 25-23, 25-18, 25-19 on Oct. 30. Hatch and Kessel led the scoring with 13 points each and Patch added 12.
On Oct. 27, Berlin beat TV Rottenburg, including Americans Mitch Penning and Karl Apfelbach, 25-16, 25-21 25-19. Kessel led the scoring with 14 points. Patch added 11 and Jendryk scored 10.
Friedrichshafen, including setter Joe Worsely and middle blocker Brendan Schmidt is 4-0 in second place in the Bundesliga. On Nov. 5, Friedrichshafen beat Frankfurt, 26-28. 25-20, 25-21, 25-23.
Schmidt scored 13 point, including five blocks. Worsely played as a substitute.
Giesen, with American outside hitters David Wieczorek and Michael Wexter, is 1-3 in the league. Most recently, Giesen fell to Eltmann, 25-22, 25-21, 25-22. Wexter led his team with 12 points and Wieczorek scored five.
RUSSIA
Libero Erik Shoji is wearing No. 1 for Fakel Novy Urengoy this season and the team is in fourth place at 2-1. In a 25-23, 25-23, 26-24 win over Zenit Kazan on Nov. 2, Shoji finished with 16 receptions, 63 percent positive.
POLAND
Middle blocker David Smith and Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle are in third place at 2-0 in the Polish league. Smith did not play in either match.
Setter Kawika Shoji and Asseco Resovia Rzeszów are 0-3. Most recently, Resovia Rzeszów fell to Indykpol AZS Olsztyn, 25-20, 25-20, 21-25, 25-19. Shoji started the first two sets and scored four points, including two blocks, one kill and one ace.
FRANCE
Opposite Kyle Russell, setter Matt West and Cannes are in fourth place in the French league with a 4-1 record. On Nov. 1, Cannes fell to Sete, 27-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-19. Russell led his team with 16 points on 15 kills and one ace. West did not score but set Cannes to a .393 hitting efficiency.
Middle blocker Mitch Stahl and Chaumont are in sixth place in the league with a 2-3 record. On Nov. 2, Chaumont beat Nantes Reze, 25-19, 28-26, 25-20. Stahl scored five points on two kills, two blocks and one ace.
Middle blocker Price Jarman is playing with Tours, which sits in eighth place. On Nov. 2, Tours beat Ajaccio, 25-23, 25-13, 25-22.
Opposite James Shaw is playing with Narbonne, which is 2-3 in ninth place. On Nov. 2, Narbonne lost to Montpellier, 29-27, 25-22, 26-24. Shaw scored 14 points on 13 kills and one block.