Gas Sales Bluenergy Volley Piacenza achieved its goal: they won the first two sets of the return match against Berlin in exactly one hour, securing a spot in the CEV Volleyball Cup semifinals. After the first two sets, they also won the third, this time with ease: 3-0 (25-21, 29-27, 25-18).
In the semifinals, they will face the winner of the Turkish team Fenerbahce Istanbul and the Slovenian team ACH Volley Ljubljana, who will play tomorrow evening. In the first leg, the Slovenian team prevailed in the tiebreak.
The Germans, combative and tenacious, gave the red and whites a hard time from the very first rallies. And in the first two sets, Gas Sales Bluenergy Volley Piacenza was forced to play catch-up every time, closing gaps of up to six points. The red and whites did well to believe in it all the way, even in the second set when they had two set points cancelled and had to save three of their own before sealing the set on their third chance with the German Brazilian Bergmann, sealing their spot in the semifinals.
The match – At the start of the match, coach Boninfante sent Porro and Bovolenta on the cross court, Iyegbekedo and Seddik at the middle, Mandiraci and Bergmann on the wings, and Loreti as libero. The German team, Berlin Recycling Volleys, responded with Ivanov and Malescha on the cross court, Knigge and Kirsch at the middle, Plaskie and Flexen on the wings, and Dagostino as libero.
The start was all German (1-5), with Boninfante having already called the first timeout. Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza struggled to find shots and control their attack, but managed to get within a point (4-5). Berlin then pulled away again, thanks to a pair of errors from the nine-meter line and in attack (5-9). Berlin also made some errors from the service line, with Mandiraci’s block in tying the score at thirteen. A whistled invasion of the net gave the Germans the lead (15-14). Bovolenta delivered his three set points (24-21), with Iyegbekedo closing with a block.
Again tied at twenty-one, with Iyegbekedo blocking his two set points (24-22), Berlin canceling both (24-24) and then with a block to win the set point (24-25), Mandiraci canceling it. A second German chance (25-26) was called, but it was cancelled. A third chance for the Germans, blocked by Bovolenta, also arrives for Piacenza with an ace from Bovolenta (28-27), Bergmann closes out the set. It’s the CEV Volleyball Cup semifinal.
The set quickly reaches its conclusion with the Red and White Wolves celebrating in the stands and very few German fans applauding. Travica aces the set, making it 21-14. Andringa brings up eight match points (24-16), and Piacenza closes out the set on a third chance from Seddik.
Gas Sales Bluenergy Volley Piacenza – Berlin Recycling Volleys 3-0
(25-21, 29-27, 25-18)
Gas Sales Bluenergy Volley Piacenza: Seddik 4, Porro, Mandiraci 9, Iyegbekedo 10, Bovolenta 7, Bergmann 10, Loreti (L), Andringa 5, Leon 4, Travica 3, Pace (L). Ne: Comparoni, Simon, Gutierrez. All. Boninfante.
Berlin Recycling Volleys: Kirsch 1, Malescha 13, Flexen 10, Knigge 9, Ivanov 1, Plaskie 1, Dagostino (L), Hanes 1, Wehner, Schott, Treiter (L). All. Leal.
Arbitri: Gregor Novak (Slovenia), Tamas Jambor (Ungheria)
Note: durata set 26’, 34’ e 26’ per un totale di 86’. Spettatori 1695 per un incasso di 10.650 euro. Gas Sales Bluenergy Volley Piacenza: battute sbagliate 17, ace 9, muri punto 11, errori in attacco 8, ricezione 45% (22% perfetta), attacco 44%. Berlin Recycling Volleys: battute sbagliate 16, ace 1, muri punto 4, errori in attacco 9, ricezione 40% (13% perfetta), attacco 44%.
