League playoffs, semi-finals Game 4 result:
Sir Safety Conad Perugia – Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 27-25)
SIR SAFETY CONAD PERUGIA – CUCINE LUBE BANCA MARCHE CIVITANOVA 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 27-25) – SIR SAFETY CONAD PERUGIA: Buti 5, Fromm, De Cecco 2, Kaliberda 9, Giovi (L), Russell 19, Dimitrov, Elia, Atanasijevic 15, Birarelli 6. DNP Holt, Tzioumakas, Fanuli. Coach. Kovac.
CUCINE LUBE BANCA MARCHE CIVITANOVA: Fei 3, Juantorena 11, Vitelli, Stankovic 5, Priddy 1, Christenson 3, Cester 6, Grebennikov (L), Miljkovic 11, Cebulj 7, Podrascanin 2. DNP Kovar, Corvetta. Coach. Blengini.
There was not one seat left in the PalaEvangelisti arena and the fans were not disappointed as the Block Devils found the perfect game. They beat Civitnova on a 3-0 score for the second time in the series and qualified for the league final. Miljkovic’s spike out sent the crowd in ecstasy, what followed was scenes of joy, people jumping up and down, singing. Splendid in attack, Russell was named MVP (19 points). Buti and Birarelli scored one first-time spike after another, while the visitors did their best to hang on in the second and third set with fresh blood coming off the bench. But Kovac’s men managed to keep the regular season champs behind and two years after their first appearance, they’re back in the league final. And best of all, thanks to this qualification, the club secured their participation into next year’s Champions League.
Aaron Russell (Sir Safety Conad Perugia): “It’s been a difficult match. We played very well but they never gave up. In the third set, we had built an advantage but they fought back to tie it at 24. In the end, we made it but it’s been really tough. Congratulations to our guys, they’ve all had a great game”.
Gianlorenzo Blengini (coach Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova): “We got off to a good start but then we got stuck in a rotation in which we conceded an early break. Perugia gained confidence and they played with their usual quality. In the second we came back from behind, but a couple of inaccuracies ruined it. In the third, we could have scored the point that would have given us set ball. But credit to Perugia who won, sport is like that”.
Fixtures
League playoffs, semi-finals Game 4
Monday 25 April at 7.15
Diatec Trentino – DHL Modena Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
League playoffs
Thursday 28 April at 8.30pm
DHL Modena – Diatec Trentino Live on Lega Volley Channel
SuperLega UnipolSai Challenge Playoffs – Final Four
Piacenza earns spot in Challenge Cup 2017
Final:
Ninfa Latina – LPR Piacenza 0-3 (17-25, 24-26, 19-25)
NINFA LATINA – LPR PIACENZA 0-3 (17-25, 24-26, 19-25)
NINFA LATINA: Sottile, Sket 13, Pavlov 2, Romiti (L), Tailli, Hirsch 11, Yosifov 5, Rossi 6, Maruotti 6. DNP Krumins, Mattei, Ferenciac. Coach. Placì.
LPR PIACENZA: Coscione 6, Kohut 6, Ter Horst 15, Perrin 13, Papi (L), Zlatanov, Luburic 18, Tencati 3, Tavares Rodrigues, Cottarelli 1. DNP Manià, Sedlacek, Patriarca. Coach. Giuliani.
The Challenge Playoffs final four in Verona ended with Piacenza’s 3-0 triumph over Latina. Thanks to this victory, Piacenza will be in Europe and the Challenge Cup in 2016-17, a competition they had brilliantly won in 2013. MVP: Manuel Coscione
Alberto Giuliani (coach LPR Piacenza): “This goes beyond our expectations, we knew we had put together a team at the last minute. The boys have some individual qualities, but what I want to underline is that they never gave up, not even in the period when we were losing one after another. This can be an example of how a club, staff and team kept working hard to get better and better. Latina really wanted it but we proved we had improved our level of play. We never lost our nerves, even when Latina was hitting the serve hard. I have to say we played some quality volleyball”.
Camillo Placì (coach Ninfa Latina): “The attitude was good today but we would have needed more character, like in the semi-final against Verona where we have left a lot of energy. Piacenza has really gotten better in this end of season, physically and as a team. They deservedly qualified for the Challenge Cup. This result will not take anything away from the excellent season Latina had and I take this opportunity to congratulate my players for the year they had”.
Semi-finals results:
Exprivia Molfetta – LPR Piacenza 1-3 (21-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-25)
Calzedonia Verona – Ninfa Latina 2-3 (25-18, 22-25, 21-25, 25-18, 11-15)
