Comunicato Stampa della Lega Pallavolo Serie A

Perugia versus Piacenza is fourth against fifth and therefore what is meant to be the tightest contest of all.

Game 1 was a thrilling one, with twists and turns. Led by Cristian Savani, Perugia took the first set despite a better start by Piacenza. The guests kept their heads up and managed to limit Stokr in the second, while the attack was working at a 70% rate. Despite conceding four aces, that did the trick to tie the game at 1-1. The third set is a carbon copy of the previous one, with Piacenza struggling in recetpion but its attack is near-perfect, with Marshall at 80% in the set. Added to this the comeback of Bravo doing well in reception and dig,  and Piacenza maitained its lead to go 2-1 up.

Pushed by a big crowd, perugia tried to send the game to a tie-break using the serve as its main weapon but Piacenza was responding well. And Perugia made too many mistakes, some real gifts at times for Lorenzetti’s team. The end of set was edgy, with both teams making mistakes from the serve. But Marshall and Bravo, with an ace, combined to go 24-22 up, as Pampel sealed it. Game 2 is scheduled on the 6^th of April.

RPA-LUIGIBACCHI.IT PERUGIA – COPRA NORDMECCANICA PIACENZA 1-3 (25-20; 19-25; 20-25; 23-25)

RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia: Kovacevic, Savani 20, Nemec 3, Sintini 1, Felizardo 11, Pippi (L), Vujevic 10, Stokr 12, Fanuli (L), Bovolenta 5. Dnp Serafini, Cruz De Carvalho, Botti. Coach. Di Pinto

Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza: Rak 6, Pampel 13, Insalata 2, Meoni 3, Marshall 21, Grassano, Boninfante, Zingaro (L), Zlatanov 8, Durante (L), Bravo 4, Bjelica 6. Dnp Dunnes. Coach. Lorenzetti

Cristian Savani (RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia): “We could have won tonight, but we did not not make a good use of our strength like we had done in the second half of championship: The serve was not as consistent as usual. Let’s forget about this result and face the second game with the awareness that we have what it takes to win it”.

Angelo Lorenzetti (Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza): “We made one step forward. I wouldn’t say an important one, but just a agem that broke the ice in these playoffs. We played our game, we’re improving in that aspect. We still have to use a relay betweeen Bravo and Marshall, we can’t use them as much as we would like yet”.

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)

Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari 2-3 (25-16, 27-25, 22-25, 20-25, 13-15)

RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia – Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza 1-3 (25-20, 19-25, 20-25, 23-25)

GAME 2

Played Sunday 29 March

Sisley Treviso – Lube Banca Marche Macerata 2-3 (23-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23, 13-15)

Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia – Itas Diatec Trentino 0-3 (22-25, 23-25, 19-25)

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

GAME 3

Wednesday 8 April at 8.30

Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari LIVE ON SKY SPORT EXTRA

Thursday 9 April at 8.30pm

Lube Banca Marche Macerata – Sisley Treviso

Itas Diatec Trentino – Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia LIVE ON SKY SPORT 2

RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia – Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza

2008/09 draw