T&T senior middle-blocker Marc-Anthony Honore and SL Benfica enjoyed a mixed weekend in the Portugal Men’s Volleyball Honda A-1 Division first losing a top-of-the-table clash before rebounding with a victory.
Firstly, on Saturday, playing at home at the Pavilhao da Luz, in Lisbon, Benfica suffered a shock loss 25-18, 20-25, 21-25, 20-25 to AJF Bastardo in a meeting of first and third on the eight-team Second Round standings.
However, 24 hours later at the same venue, SL Benfica made amends for only their second domestic defeat in close to 60 matches when they swept aside SC Caldas 25-15, 25-11, 25-17.
The win kep[t SL Benfica top of the standings with an 11-2 record and 32 points, one ahead of Bastardo who have a 10-2 record while Sporting CP (10-3) and SC Espinho (7-6) occupy the final two semifinal playoffs spots with 29 and 21 points respectively while fifth-placed Esmoriz has an outside chance to qualify with a 6-6 record and 18 points.
The trio of Castelo Maia (3-10), Viana (3-10) and Caldas (0-11) with eight, eight and three points complete the table.
Winners already of a record ninth Super cup last November, SL Benfica is also through to the quarterfinals of the Portugal Cup where they will face Sao Mamede.
Sl Benfica will complete their regular-season versus Castelo Maia on February 27 at the end of which the top four clubs will contest the semi-finals ahead of the championship series.
Before the start of the eight-team second-round series, SL Benfica ended the shortened regular-season due to the coronavirus pandemic with a perfect 13-0 record and 39 points, nine clear of Sporting CP and Viana, (10-2) who both had a match in hand.
So far this season, Benfica has already lifted the Portugal Super Cup for a third straight season after they swept SC Espinho in straight sets, 25-16, 25-17, 25-21 on November 4.
The win marked the tenth time Benfica had lifted the Super Cup trophy, the most in the history of the competition.
In European competition, Benfica was beaten in the quarterfinal of the CEV Challenge Cup by Turkey’s Halkbank, 25-21, 18-26, 16-25, 21-25.
Over in the Turkish Women’s Volleyball Championship, senior women’s national team middle-blocker, Sinead Jack-Kisal and her Ilbank club suffered a third straight defeat, falling 21-25, 25-23, 23-25, 19-25 to Nilufer Belediyespor.
It was the 22nd loss on the season for Ilbank who dropped to 7-22 on the season and remained 14th on the 16-team table with 20 points, 14 clear of Besiktas (2-27) while Beylikduzu Voleybol Ihtisas is winless with a 0-28 record.
Kisal-Jack and her club-mates will close out the regular-season against ninth-placed PTT who are 14-15 with 42 points.