COPRA NORDMECCANICA PIACENZA – ITAS DIATEC TRENTINO 0-3(23-25; 11-25; 24-26)
Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza: Rak 6, Pampel, Insalata, Meoni 1, Marshall 9, Grassano, Boninfante, Zingaro (L), Zlatanov 15, Durante (L), Bravo 9, Dunnes 1, Bjelica 3. Coach. Lorenzetti
Itas Diatec Trentino: Kaziyski 13, Birarelli 7, Della Lunga, Vissotto Neves 8, Grbic 6, De Paola, Winiarski 5, Garcia Pires Ribeiro 6, Bari (L), Piscopo 3. Dnp Zygadlo, Stefanov. Coach. Stoytchev
In Game 4, Trentino’s coach Stoychev lined up a surprise starting six with Della Lunga and Riad in for Winiarski and Piscopo. Piacenza remained unchanged. The team studied each other for a bit before normality was restored with Winiarski and Piscopo coming on.
The key to the first set was the block. The league holders had no less than 7, with 3 for Grbic. Piacenza seemed to feel the pressure and in the second set it made many mistakes, letting the guest fly to a 4-10 lead. Piacenza was going through its worse moment of the final series with four more consecutive mistakes in attack, which handed an easy second set win for Trento (25-11). This was a very hard punch to take in for the host but in the third set, they tried to react. Trento had two match point all the same, but cancelled out as the set was tied at 24. Still, it was third time lucky for the Italian champs, who sealed the encounter thanks to the MVP Grbic. Trentino is therefore back on track with the deciding game 5 to be played in its gym on Sunday 17 mAy at 6.30pm (live on Sky Sport 2).
Angelo Lorenzetti (Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza): “We were hoping not to repeat the poor performance of last season’s semi final against Macerata, but unfortunately it’s not been possible. We started off very tense, we struggled to settle in the game and find our rhythm. Now, we have to work on the technical aspects that did not work out. On Sunday we’ll be back on level terms and Sunday will not only be decisive for us”.
Michal Winiarski (Itas Diatec Trentino): “We played really well tonight. Piacenza did not perform as it was used to in previous encounters, while everything seemed to work to perfection for us. It was our last chance to get back in it and we did not flater. Now we’ll play the last one in front of our fans even though the court advantage has notalsways been a guarantee in these playoffs”.
Matey Kazisyki (Itas Diatec Trentino): “We knew it was going to be hard to win in Piacenza, but we also knew we couldn’t afford to disappoint our fans. I’m very pleased with this victory, nobody wanted to give up”.
LEAGUE FINAL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
GAME 1
Itas Diatec Trentino – Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza 3-2 (25-18; 17-25; 21-25; 25-14; 17-15)
GAME 2
Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza – Itas Diatec Trentino 3-1 (25-21; 25-18; 20-25; 25-15)
GAME 3
Itas Diatec Trentino – Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza 2-3 (25-22; 13-25; 25-19; 23-25; 9-15)
GAME 4
Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza – Itas Diatec Trentino 0-3 (23-25; 11-25; 24-26)
GAME 5
Sunday 17 March at 8.30
Itas Diatec Trentino – Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza LIVE ON SKY SPORT 2
2008/09 PLAYOFF DRAW
QUARTERS |
| SEMI FINALS |
| FINAL |
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1� � Macerata | 3 |
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3-0; 3-2; 3-1 |
| Lube Banca Marche MC | 2 |
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8� – Treviso | 0 |
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| 3-0; 2-3; 0-3; 3-0; 2-3 |
| Copra Nordmeccanica PC | 2 |
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4� � Perugia | 0 |
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1-3; 1-3; 1-3 |
| Copra Nordmeccanica PC | 3 |
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5�- Piacenza | 3 |
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| 2-3; 3-1; 3-2; 0-3 |
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2� � Trento | 3 |
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| Champion |
3-2; 3-0; 3-2 |
| Itas Diatec Trentino | 3 |
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7� – Vibo Valentia | 0 | <SPAN lang=EN-GB style |
