Results:
Calzedonia Verona-CMC Romagna 3-0 (25-19, 28-26, 25-21); Ninfa Latina-Revivre Milano 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-19); Exprivia Molfetta-Gi Group Monza 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 27-25, 25-23); Tonazzo Padova-LPR Piacenza 1-3 (27-25, 18-25, 19-25, 23-25)
NINFA LATINA – REVIVRE MILANO 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-19)
NINFA LATINA: Sottile 3, Sket 9, Pavlov 10, Romiti (L), Tailli, Hirsch 1, Yosifov 9, Rossi 7, Maruotti 10. DNP Krumins, Mattei, Ferenciac. Coach. Placì.
REVIVRE MILANO: Milushev 8, Alletti 2, Sbertoli, Skrimov 11, Russomanno Dos Santos (L), De Togni 3, Rivan (L), Baranek 2, Boninfante, Georgiev 2, Burgsthaler 1, Marretta 7. DNP Gavenda. Coach. Monti.
Some good block at the net sent Latina on their way to win the first set. Coach Monti made changes in the second set but the hosts kept the upper-hand. Maruotti and Yosifov were key again at the end of the set when Milan was threatenin. Latina found the first break again in the third set (14-9), Milan fought back at 19 all but there again that’s when the hosts took over with Maruotti and Sket (22-19), then Pavlov found a counter and an ace before Yosifov sent everybody home. MVP Daniele Sottile (Ninfa Latina)
Daniele Sottile (Ninfa Latina): “We had an excellent game, we’ve been aggressive and read the game well. We have to be happy, but we know that Wednesday’s game will be very tough. We all showed tonight the will to stay on the right track and that’s why we won it”.
Luca Monti (coach Revivre Milano): “Between saying it was a poor game from our part or credit to the opponent, it’s always tricky. Latina never let us get in the game, they served very sharply. We have to bounce back on Wednesday, we have always played good games at home”.
TONAZZO PADOVA – LPR PIACENZA 1-3 (27-25, 18-25, 19-25, 23-25)
TONAZZO PADOVA: Leoni, Orduna 2, Giannotti 12, Balaso (L), Bassanello, Quiroga 11, Volpato 8, Berger 14, Milan 5, Diamantini 8. DNP Cook, Averill, Lazzaretto. Coach. Baldovin.
LPR PIACENZA: Coscione 4, Kohut 8, Ter Horst 28, Perrin 17, Papi (L), Sedlacek 2, Patriarca, Luburic 8, Tencati 8, Tavares Rodrigues 1, Cottarelli. DNP Zlatanov. Coach. Giuliani.
Padova was upset by Piacenza, who deserves credit for believing even after the first set lost. Led by an outstanding Ter Horst, Giuliani’s men made the most of a bad day from the hosts. Padova tried to come back in the game on several occasions but there were always too many mistakes. MVP Ter Horst (LPR Piacenza)
Santiago Orduna (Tonazzo Padova): “After a good first set, we mentally disappeared and you could clearly see that. Both teams have made a lot of mistakes, the team that had the fewest won it. Credit to our opponents for taking advantage. We’ll have a chance to get back in the series on Wednesday but we’ll definitely need a different attitude if we want to push it to Game 3”.
Alberto Giuliani (coach LPR Piacenza): “I want to congratulate the boys because in spite of the difficult season we had, they never stopped to work in the gym. They trained hard and today’s win is the result of those sacrifices. We know Padova is capable of playing much better than today and on Wednesday we’ll have to step up too in order to be able to beat them”.
EXPRIVIA MOLFETTA – GI GROUP MONZA 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 27-25, 25-23) – EXPRIVIA MOLFETTA: Kaczynski, Candellaro 10, Del Vecchio, De Barros Ferreira 22, Barone 10, Mustedanovic 15, De Pandis (L), Porcelli (L), Hierrezuelo 3, Fedrizzi 14. DNP Spadavecchia, Mariella, Hernandez Ramos. Coach. Di Pinto.
GI GROUP MONZA: Raic 21, Sala, Daldello, Galliani 17, Mercorio, Jovovic, Rizzo (L), Botto 10, Verhees 10, Beretta 9. DNP Brunetti, Gao. Coach. Cattaneo.
Out of the league title race, Molfetta had to focus its attention and the Challenge playoffs and the possibility to play European volleyball next season, Not easy but the Apulia team responded brilliantly. At first, they seemed to suffer from the Game 5 disappointment against Trento but then they had the better of Monza 3-1. The hosts were without their star man Hernandez but still managed to dominate from the second set on. Joao Rafael took over the starring role with 22 points (1 ace, 1 block). Great performance too from Mustedanovic, who scored 15 points with 62% in reception and 4 blocks. MVP Joao Rafael (Exprivia Molfetta)
Joao Rafael (Exprivia Molfetta): “We got off to a poor start. We got nervous for nothing and we really missed the presence of a champion like Hernandez. But then we regrouped and with the help of our fans we followed the indications of our coach. Personally, after this game, I believe even more we can make it in Europe”.
Marco Rizzo (Gi Group Monza): “Too many mistakes on the serve, but we had to take some risks in order to put their reception under pressure. That did not go well. It’s tough to play in Molfetta, they never give up an inch here and they proved it in the league playoffs. But we can do much better and we’ll try to give our best in the home game in order to push the series to Game 3”.
Fixtures
Challenge Playoffs, Game 2
Wednesday 13 April at 8.30pm
CMC Romagna – Calzedonia Verona Live on Lega Volley Channel
Revivre Milano – Ninfa Latina Live on Lega Volley Channel
Gi Group Monza – Exprivia Molfetta Live on Lega Volley Channel
LPR Piacenza – Tonazzo Padova Live on Lega Volley Channel
Game 3 (if needed)
Sunday 17 April at 6pm
Calzedonia Verona – CMC Romagna Live on Lega Volley Channel
Ninfa Latina – Revivre Milano Live on Lega Volley Channel
Exprivia Molfetta – Gi Group Monza Live on Lega Volley Channel
Tonazzo Padova – LPR Piacenza Live on Lega Volley Channel
Serie A2 playoffs UnipolSai
Semi-finals Game 1 on Wednesday
Semif-finals Game 1
Wednesday 13 April at 8.30pm
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia – Conad Reggio Emilia Live on Lega Volley Channel
Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora – Maury’s Italiana Assicurazioni Tuscania Live on Lega Volley Channel
Game 2
Saturday 16 April at 8.30pm
Conad Reggio Emilia – Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia Live on Lega Volley Channel
Sunday 17 April at 6pm
Maury’s Italiana Assicurazioni Tuscania – Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora Live on Lega Volley Channel
