Game one between Macerata and Treviso could be described with one title: ‘the war of the outside hitters’. Alessandro fei and Igor Omrcen started to hit it hard right from the beginning. Macerata took the first set thanks to three blocks. Treviso reacted and tried to escape but it never managed to create a meaningful gap. On the other side of the net, one opportuinity was enough. The last set was tight too, with Treviso’s attack working just fine and allowing the host to lead 12-10. But Cisolla and Fei were blocked and it was all tied. In the end, another Ormcen hit followed a block and a lucky serve giving Macerata game 1. Treviso will have a chance to bounce back on Sunday when it hosts game 2.
Vibo Valentia was very close from a big upset in Trento. Jon Uriarte’s men almost registered their first playoff win in the club’s history but they wasted five match point to leave them for a bitter end to what was a great performance. In a fantastic atmosphere, the host got on court too tense, while Vibo used its enthusiasm and determination to win the first set. There is a feeling right from the start that it could be the night of Grbic and co. The crowd was silenced but the hosts reacted promptly with Kaziyski and Birarelli. The third and fourth set were similar to the two preceding ones. Vibo went ahead but Trentino tied it again.
The tie-break was all about Trento’s character. The game seemed doomed to be lost when Kazyiski scored four aces at 11-14, leading his team to a crucial win. Kzayiski established a new record of 9 aces in one single game this season, and he tied Ramon Gato’s record of the 2005-06 season.
LUBE BANCA MARCHE MACERATA – SISLEY TREVISO 3-0 (25-21; 25-21; 25-23)
Lube Banca Marche Macerata: Lebl 10, Giovi (L), Vermiglio 1, Bartoletti, Martino 6, Monopoli, Corsano (L), Santana 10, Omrcen 18, Swiderski 11, Podrascanin. Dnp Snippe, Saraceni. Coach. De Giorgi
Sisley Treviso: Bortolozzo 1, Fei 15, Gallotta (L), Papi 9, Farina (L), Kohut 6, Antonov, Endres 4, Salmon, Cisolla 10, Daldello, Garcia. Dnp Saitta. Coach. Dall’Olio
Martin Lebl (Lube Banca Marche Macerata): “We did a good job of staying focused all the time and of taking the opportunities that came our way. This is the way to beat a Treviso that is a team full of great stars despite its 8th position”.
Alberto Cisolla (Sisley Treviso): “It’s no wonder Macerata was top of the league. It showed it deserved it today, taking all the opportunities they had created. This is something we haven’t done and we paid the price. Still, the series is long, and we’ll not surrender easily. That is for sure”.
ITAS DIATEC TRENTINO – TONNO CALLIPO VIBO VALENTIA 3-2 (22-25; 25-19; 23-25; 25-17; 19-17)
Itas Diatec Trentino: Kaziyski 29, Segnalini (L), Birarelli 9, Della Lunga, Vissotto Neves 24, Grbic 6, Winiarski 10, Bari (L), Piscopo 8. Dnp Zygadlo, Leonardi, Garcia Pires Ribeiro, Stefanov. Coach. Stoytchev
Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia: Contreras 23, Cozzi 11, Sammelvuo 9, Vieira De Oliveira 5, Diaz Mayorca 20, Barone 11, Cicola (L). Dnp Ditlevsen, Ferraro, Divis, Shumov, Bozidis. Coach. Uriarte
Emanuele Birarelli (Itas Diatec Trentino): “Congratulations to Vibo who made it very difficult for us during the whole game. They’ve never let us impose our game. If we had not had a certain Matey Kaziyski tonight, we would never have won it”.
Jon Uriarte (Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia): “I’m satisfied with what the team showed today on court. I think that despite the loss, we stepped up a level in our mental approach. Until today, we had never played such a long and tense game, physically and mentally. We played against what we knew was a great team. I think we’ll have a similar encounter in Vibo”.
PLAYOFFS QUARTER FINALS
GAME 1
Lube Banca Marche Macerata –Sisley Treviso 3-0 (25-21; 25-21; 25-23)
Itas Diatec Trentino – Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia 3-2 (22-25; 25-19; 23-25; 25-17; 19-17)
Monday 30 March at 8.30
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari LIVE ON SKY SPORT 2
(Cesare – Cinti)
Tuesday 31 March at 8.30
RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia – Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza LIVE ON SKY SPORT EXTRA
(Sobrero – Padoan)
GAME 2
Sunday 29 March at 6
Sisley Treviso – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia – Itas Diatec Trentino
Sunday 5 April at 6
Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo LIVE ON SKY SPORT 2
Monday 6 April at 8.30
Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza – RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia LIVE ON SKY SPORT 2
