Cisterna Volley is preparing to restart in the Play Offs for 5th place, facing Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina as its first opponent in a path that puts the qualification for the Cev Challenge Cup at stake. The team from the Marche closed its first season in the Credem Banca Superleague in tenth place with 18 points and arrives at this stage after obtaining second place at the NAS Sports Tournament in Dubai while coach Falasca’s team, after four exciting challenges in the Quarterfinals of the Scudetto Playoffs against Itas Trentino, experienced a weekend without matches after a long time.
THE NUMBERS – Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina stood out as the fourth team in the championship for number of aces (136) and maintained a good percentage of team attack (47.2%). At block it totaled 149 points. Three players have surpassed the 200-point mark this season: Georgi Tatarov, top scorer with 260 points, followed by opposite hitter Dusan Petkovic (249) and middle blocker Danny Demyanenko (213). The best serve was that of Michele Fedrizzi, author of 29 aces, followed by Danny Demyanenko, who made 21 aces, with the Canadian middle blocker also being the best blocker of the team with 49 direct points.
THE SEASON – The last championship victory of Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina dates back to February 7, when coach Ortenzi’s team won in the tie-break against Allianz Milano (3-2). The end of the season saw the newly promoted team suffer four consecutive defeats, before the positive international experience in Dubai, where the club achieved a prestigious second place in its first participation in the NAS Sports Tournament.
