The first games of 2017 in the Serie A2 are scheduled this Thursday night.
Potenza Picena will try to make it four in a row after two consecutive road wins over Alessano and Tuscania and a home win over Aversa. Tied in fifth place with Santa Croce, Visentin and co will face Siena, the group leader who won the derby against Santa Croce 3-2 before putting the ice on the cake with the qualification for the Italian Cup final thanks to a four-set win over Mondovì.
Just one point behind the leader after its come-back win in the derby in Tricase, Castellana Grotte will take on Ortona, last from bottom and in need of more points after the ones taken in the last round against Club Italia.
Fourth after back-to-back tie-break defeats, Aversa is looking over its shoulders as Potenza, and Santa Croce threatens. They entertain Club Italia, who wants to add to its recent home win over Alessano, their only win so far in the tournament.
Third consecutive home game for Tuscania after the 3-0 loss against Potenza and the 3-1 cup semi-final win over Civita Castellana. They will take on Alessano, who’s lost all of its previous five games against Tuscania. They have lost no less than seven games at the tie-break and is four points away from the playoffs wone.
Santa Croce is coming off a derby defeat at the tie-break in Siena and will now face Lagonegro. The latter registered a tie-break win in Aversa. Galabinov will make his hundredth appearance in regular season.
Serie A2 UnipolSai round 14- WHITE GROUP
Thursday 5 January at 8.30pm
GoldenPlast Potenza Picena – Emma Villas Siena Live on Lega Volley Channel
BCC Castellana Grotte – Sieco Service Ortona Live on Lega Volley Channel
Sigma Aversa – Club Italia Crai Roma Live on Lega Volley Channel
Maury’s Italiana Assicurazioni Tuscania – Aurispa Alessano Live on Lega Volley Channel
Kemas Lamipel Santa Croce – Basi Grafiche Geosat Lagonegro Live on Lega Volley Channel
White group standings
Emma Villas Siena 32, BCC Castellana Grotte 31, Maury’s Italiana Assicurazioni Tuscania 26, Sigma Aversa 22, GoldenPlast Potenza Picena 19, Kemas Lamipel Santa Croce 19, Basi Grafiche Geosat Lagonegro 15, Aurispa Alessano 15, Sieco Service Ortona 14, Club Italia Crai Roma 2
Top of the blue group, Spoleto is getting ready to face one of its main rivals, Civita Castellana. The latter won the first meeting 3-2 and is coming off a four-set win over Grottazzolina.
Reggio Emilia caught up with Mondovì in fourth place thanks to a breakthrough in Brescia and now they will challenge Cantù. The latter will have setter Groppi back and will try to start the new year where they had left off, with a win.
Montecchio Maggiore is far from the ideal situation, standing 12 points from the playoff zone after their recent home defeat. They will take on Brescia, who just signed the experienced Paolo Torre to make up for the serious injury suffered by setter Simone Tiberti. They will try to bounce back from its 3-0 loss conceded home against Reggio Emilia. Three-points behind the leaders in second place, Brescia could take advantage of the clash between Spoleto and Civita Castellana.
The 3-2 win in Mondovì was a great result but Bergamo needs to step up another gear to get in the playoffs. They will take on Materdomini Castellana Grotte, severely defeated home by the leaders in the last round.
Mondovì had a taste of first place but has lately lost ground after its tie-break defeat at home against Bergamo. 2016 ended in disappointment with the cup semi-final ousting but they will try to re-emerge against Grottazzolina. The latter gave a few minutes of action to outside hitter Moretti in the last game as he’s coming back from injury. Grottazzolina was defeated 3-1 by Civita Castellana away and is bottom of the standings.
Serie A2 UnipolSai round 14 – BLUE GROUP
Thursday 5 January at 8.30pm
Monini Spoleto – Ceramica Globo Civita Castellana Live on Lega Volley Channel
Conad Reggio Emilia – Pool Libertas Cantù Live on Lega Volley Channel
Sol Lucernari Montecchio Maggiore – Centrale del Latte McDonald’s Brescia Live on Lega Volley Channel
Caloni Agnelli Bergamo – Materdominivolley.it Castellana Grotte Live on Lega Volley Channel
VBC Mondovì – Videx Grottazzolina Live on Lega Volley Channel
Blue Group standings
Monini Spoleto 28, Ceramica Globo Civita Castellana 25, Centrale del Latte McDonald’s Brescia 25, VBC Mondovì 24, Conad Reggio Emilia 24, Caloni Agnelli Bergamo 21, Pool Libertas Cantù 16, Sol Lucernari Montecchio Maggiore 12, Materdominivolley.it Castellana Grotte 11, Videx Grottazzolina 9
