Volleyball Superdebute of MGTU in Europe

Russian champion - Moscow club MGTU-Luzhniki - played its first official match in the champions league. The debut was successful. First of all, the Muscovites won the game. Secondly, they defeated one of the world's best clubs. Thirdly, they did it as the quest team. Yesterday Russian team defeated one of the League's favorites - Sisley - in Treviso.

Sisley is many times Italian champion, they have many European prizes. This spring Sisley won regular Italian championship, although losing the main prize in play-off series. It took second place in Champions league-2000/2001. On the whole, Sisley participates in the "Final of four" almost always.

The club from Treviso comprises elite of the world volleyball. Among them there are Italian national team players Samuele Papi, Lorenzo Bernardi, Alessandro Fehi e Alberto Cisolla. The leader of the Holland team Bas van de Gor. The best Slovenian player Richard Nemets. One of the most famous Russian players Dmitry Fomin. All of them were playing yesterday. And they played excellently as usual. But Jury Nechushkin's pupils were stronger, although only one player in our team - Ruslan Olihver - has big experience of international matches.

Italians won the first game easily. The course of the second one changed drastically when the teams scored 33 goals each. After that Muscovites made two successive resulting attacks and evened the score. The third game followed the same pattern but the opponents scored fewer points. In the fourth one Sisley broke. And it's easy to understand why. Italian players did their best. And even better. But each time that wasn't enough. Nothing would stop MGTU-Luzhniki - 25:18. Great success! Our team showed itself to Europe. And it should keep itself in the same form with other opponents, which are no stronger that Sisley.

                                     Vladimir PESNYA

Champions league

Men

Group D

Sisley (Italy) - MGTU-Luzhniki (RUSSIA) - 1:3 (25:20, 33:35, 24:26, 18:25)

Belediyeshi (Turkey) - Tour (France) - 0:3 (20:25, 10:25, 20:25)

Group C

Unicaja (Spain) - Lube Blanca (Italy) - 1:3 (14:25. 25:22. 24:26. 23:25)