SERIE A1 TIM – MATCH 3 – SEMIFINALS
PIACENZA GETS TO THE FINAL, CUNEO DEFEATED FOR 1-3
PIACENZA IN THE FINAL FOR
THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW
BRE BANCA LANNUTTI CUNEO – COPRA NORDMECCANICA PIACENZA 1-3 (20-25, 22-25, 25-22, 16-25)
BRE BANCA LANNUTTI CUNEO: Wijsmans 15, Gonzalez 1, Fortunato, Vergnaghi (L), Lasko 10, Rosso, Curti 2, Abbadi 13, Muraguti Yared, Felizardo 10, Battilotti. N E Prandi, Parodi. Coach Prandi Silvano.
COPRA NORDMECCANICA PIACENZA: Rodriguez, Granvorka, Cozzi 1, Meoni 3, Boninfante, Santos Dutra (L), Zlatanov 26, Simeonov 10, Bravo 9, Gromadowski, Bovolenta 13, Bjelica 11. Coach Lorenzetti Angelo.
REFs: Fabrizio Saltalippi, Simone Santi.
NOTES – Spectators 4600, takings 32000, set length: 27′, 30′, 29′, 23′; tot: 109′.
CUNEO – Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza reaches Itas Diatec Trentino in the final of the Seire A1 TIM championship 2008/09. Lorenzetti’s men beat Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo for 1-3 in the match 3 of the semifinals in a sold out event at Cuneo Palasport with 4.639 people attending.
For Piacenza it is the second final in a row in 27 editions of the play offs, but no team had ever arrived to the final starting from position 6 at the end of the regular season.
In the decisive match, Piacenza come out with performance with a capital P, made out of determination and attitude which qualifies them for the next Indesit Champions League; Zlatanov the MVP with 26 points.
The two teams arrive with the whole formation available. Lorenzetti leaves Granvorka on the bench, replaced by Bravo from the start.
Let’s start and Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza accellerates straight away. Bravo is dangerous with his service then Simeonov and Zlatanov put the ball down and it is 0-3. Bre Banca Lannutti comes back but the guest team expresses a better game, more continuous and incisive. Prandi’s men, on the other hand, to keep up with Copra, are forced to work over time. In more than one occasion they go on -1 but they lack in lucidity when it is time to take over. Piacenza wins for 20-25 with Zlatanov as their leader with 8 points.
Prandi decided to change its team and in the second set he leaves Gonzalez on the bench replaced by Marlon; Curti confirmed too, in at the end of the 1st set.
This set is more balanced, especially at the beginning. Cuneo tries to get away in two occasions (6-4 and 12-10) but Piacenza is always there, good, thanks to Meoni’s careful directorship, to find the right spaces in attack. It is 13-14 with Zlatanov’s ace for Piacenza then on 15-15, Zlatanov, Bravo and Ross’s mistake, take the guests on +3. Cuneo tries to come back but Piacenza does not miss a chance and wins 22-25.
Cuneo shakes up and starts the third set on a high. The audience find their enthusiasm again, the team scores important points in attack and Cuneo’s Palasport becomes a riot. Zlatanov brings his team behind them but in the end it is Wijsmans who takes the leadership with 2 consecutive points that together with Felizardo’s attack bring Cuneo on 21-17. Zlatanov, on the other side of the net, does not agree and goes for two consecutive aces (22-21). Abbadi gets the service back and Cuneo wins 25-22.
The beginning of the 4th set has Piacenza’s name on it. It is 1-5 straight away, Copra seems to have an extra gear. Bovolenta stops Cuneo’s attack twice (2-8). After the TTO, Bre Banca Lannutti tries to get back together. Felizardo puts down the 7-10 down but there is nothing to do against Piacenza’s unstoppable attack. The party starts for the 150 supporters who came from Piacenza and it explodes when the last ball touches the floor on 16-25.
Silvano Prandi (Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo): “The strongest team won, we have suffered a lot and we were not ready for certain situations that got created. Right now it is difficult to comment on the match but I am satisfied with the season. Getting to the semifinals si a good achievement”.
Sergio (Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza): “We have come out with a great performance in terms of quality, from everyone in the team. All the boys have given their best and this a result to share with everybody. Now let’s go to Trento to go for it”.
MVP: Hristo Zlatanov (Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza)
SERIE A1 TIM
HERE’S ALL THE EUROPEAN CUPS 2008/09 QUALIFYING.
Copra Nordmeccanica will take part in the Indesit Champions League next season with Itas Diatec Trentino (the other championship finalist) and Lube Banca Marche Macerata (TIM Cup winner).
In the Cev Cup, Italy will be represented by Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo while Sisley Treviso will play in the Challenge Cup.
PLAY OFF GRID 2008
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