TIM CUP A1 FINAL EIGHT 2008
ROMA CONQUERS THE MILAN’S FINAL FOUR
M. ROMA VOLLEY – COPRA NORDMECCANICA PIACENZA 3-1 (23-25; 27-25; 27-25; 25-20)
M. ROMA VOLLEY: Henno (L), Coscione 1, Marshall 17, Molteni 8, Hernandez, Kooistra 15, Miljkovic 24, Semenzato 11. Not entered: Savani, Tofoli, Giretto, Romero. Coach: Serniotti
COPRA NORDMECCANICA PIACENZA: Rodriguez 17, Granvorka 10, Cozzi 8, Meoni 2, Boninfante, Santos Dutra (L), Zlatanov 22, Bravo 1, Gromadowski, Bjelica 10. Not entered: Massari Jacopo, Bovolenta. Coach: Lorenzetti
REFEREES: Menghini – Rapisarda
NOTE – Crowd 2500; sets lenght: 28′, 31′, 35′, 27′ ; tot. 121′.
After the first TIM Cup A1 Final Eight match with the easy victory for 3-0 of Bre Banca Lannuti Cuneo against Antonveneta Padova, the second match between M. Roma Volley and Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza has been a much better show and a tight match. Any result could be possible. Both teams could count on very strong players and both teams could show surprises with their starting six. Roberto Serniotti, coach of M. Roma Volley, did not start the match with Mastrangelo and Savani replaced by Semenzato and Molteni. Copra Nordmeccanica started the match without Simeonov and Bovolenta. Coach Lorenzetti starts the match with Zlatanov and Rodrigues spikers and Granvorka as opposite player.
The beginning of the match if for Piacenza that push very hard at the serve. Meoni and teammates organize the game really well especially with the blocks. Setter Marco Meoni does the rest by using his fantasy. Then Hristo Zlatanov seems unstoppable when he attacks. Piacenza stays ahead for the whole set but Roma is not far and the score reaches 20-22. Lorenzetti decides to use Gromadowsky at serve and Zlatanov closes the last ball that gives the set to Piacenza.
In the second set Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza keeps up with the game and the score goes on point to point. At the end is Roma able to close the set in its favour with the score of 27-25.
Very tight score also on the third set with the two teams fighting point to point for the whole set. Marshall and Miljkovic are served many times by setter Coscione while Piacenza count on the variety of its game. A lot of defenses on both courts and the show grows up point by point. Piacenza tries to score a break but Roma is able to keep the score close. Once again the set will be decided only at the very last points with Roma able to win the set with a final attack of dutch middleblocker Kooistra after that Piacenza had two set points.
In the fourth set Copra Piacenza does not start really well. Roma Volley pushes a lot: Marshall and Miljkovic are spiking really well and especially much better than their opponents. Roma flies to 21-15 with an ace of Leonel Marshall. Piacenza passing is not able to contain the streingh of Roma serves. With the passing not going well Roma’s blocks have an easy life and the match is eventually in Roma’s hands that closes the set and the match and achieve the semifinal at the Final Four Tim Cup for the second time in a row.
Marco Molteni (M. Roma Volley): “We have been really good to get right a match that started in a very wrong direction for us. We were not playing really well but we have been patients. We have to be carefull in the semifinals because our opponents, Trento or Treviso, are playing really well.
Ivan Miljkovic (M. Roma Volley): “First three sets really tight. Piacenza lost its rythim on the third set. We won the set with a coming back that gave us the right push for the final victory. We actuallly show a bigger determination”
Frantz Granvorka (Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza): “Roma showed to be able to force its game. We actually wasted few occasions on the third set.”
Tomorrow night, still in Bassano del Grappa, TIM Cup will continue with the second day of quarter finals. Other two matches. At 6.00PM and at 8.30PM live on Sky Sport 2.
Here after the program:
At 6.00PM Lube Banca Marche Macerata – Cimone Modena (live on Sky Sport 2)
Referees: Sampaolo – Pasquali
At 8.30PM: Itas Diatec Trentino – Sisley Treviso (live on Sky Sport 2)
Referees: Cipolla – Castagna
