Comunicato Stampa della Lega Pallavolo Serie A

SERIE A1 TIM – PLAY OFF

Piacenza leads the series 2-0

COPRA NORDMECCANICA PIACENZA – RPA-LUIGIBACCHI.IT PERUGIA 3-1 (27-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-19)

COPRA NORDMECCANICA PIACENZA: Rak 8, Pampel 17, Insalata 1, Meoni 2, Marshall 11, Grassano 1, Boninfante 2, Zingaro (L), Zlatanov 18, Durante (L), Bravo 3, Dunnes 2, Bjelica 9. Coach. Lorenzetti Angelo.

RPA-LUIGIBACCHI.IT PERUGIA: Kovacevic, Savani 19, Nemec, Sintini 3, Felizardo 11, Pippi (L), Vujevic 12, Stokr 11, Fanuli (L), Bovolenta 8, Botti 1. Non entrati Serafini, Cruz De Carvalho. Coach. Di Pinto Vincenzo.

Piacenza won quarter final game 2 against Perugia and made a good step towards the semi finals. Perugia, who has not won in Piacenza since the 2005-06 season, played face to face for the first twi sets, took the third but then lost in the fourth as Stokr and Bovolenta were not hundred percent fit. Di Pinto’s team will have one last chance to get back in the series and extend their run in the playoffs in the PalaEvangelisti gym on Thursday 9 April.

A minute silence was respected in memory of the earthquake victime in the Abruzzo region.

Both teams seemed tense in the first set as it was tight from start to finish (25-25). However, Rak and Marshall combined to strike first. In the second set, the host were more composed. Zlatanov was improving on offense (10-6) but Savani got Perugia back in it (12-12). Just when Perugia seemed fully in contention, Piaenza scored a couple of aces through Bjelica and Pampel to lead 2-0.

Perugia had no choice but to win the third, and it played with more purpose (3-9). A couple of fresh legs sent on court did the trick as Piacenza was coming back. In the end though, Perugia controlled things with Vujevic shining.

The crowd got involved and Lorenzeti’s boys responded. Piacenza was more efficient in attack while Perugia was not as clinical in the clutch time. Piacenza finally sealed it on a Stokr mistake on the serve.

Marco Meoni (Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza): “We have to think that they are the ones leading 2-0. We will play on a very difficult court on thursday. We did a better job of getting back on track whenever necessary, even in the toughest moments. We’ve always believed we could win it”.

Christian Savani (RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia): “Too much pressure around us. We feel it too much in the clutch time. We are 2-0 down, I’m not going to say it’s over but against such an experienced team, it will be difficult to get back in it”.

SERIE A1 TIM

QUARTER FINAL GAME 1

Lube Banca Marche Macerata – Sisley Treviso 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-23)

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

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)

GAME 2

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)

Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo 3-1 (21-25; 25-21; 25-15; 25-23)

Monday 6 April at 8.30

Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza – RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia 3-1 (27-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-19)

GAME 3

Wednesday 8 April at 8.30

Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari LIVE ON SKY SPORT 2

Thursday 9 April at 8.30

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 Playoff draw