Comunicato Stampa della Lega Pallavolo Serie A

ITAS DIATEC TRENTINO – MARMI LANZA VERONA 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-21)

ITAS DIATEC TRENTINO: Kaziyski 13, Birarelli 13, Portuondo Juantorena 7, Zygadlo 4, Vieira De Oliveira, Vissotto Neves 2, Sala 6, Sokolov 5, Herpe, Bari (L). DNP Gallosti, Corsini, Garcia Pires Ribeiro. Coach. Stoytchev.

MARMI LANZA VERONA: Latelli, Sottile 1, Della Lunga 6, Lasko 11, Kovar 2, Curti, Holt 6, Colaci (L), Kromm 12, Howard 3. DNP Peslac, Groppi, Galabinov. Coach. Bagnoli.

Trentino goes through to the league semi-finals for the third time running, the fourth of its ten-year history. It finished top of the regular season and met Verona, which was 8^th. The series already ended yesterday in game three, but it was still tight and full of emotions. The third game was the easiest for Trento as Verona did not find its rhythm in attack  (38%). Kaziyski shined with 13 points, of which 3 aces and 53% at the net. Birarelli exploded with 8 blocks in just three set and was named MVP. Before the game, the youngsters of Trentino received a special ovation for their Boy League triumph.

Emanuele Birarelli (Itas Diatec Trentino): “I am in good form and I’m glad I could contribute at the net tonight. Verona has probably played its worst game of the series and we took advantage to seal it. Before the semi-finals, there is the Champions League Final Four and thanks to this victory in three games, we will have more time to prepare it”.

Bruno Bagnoli (Marmi Lanza Verona): “We definitely haven’t played at the level of the first two games, but we had problems regarding the line up. Holt was only back today, we haven’t been able to train all together so it was difficult to keep up with such a strong team like Trento. Still, I’d like to congratulate the boys for the good season”.

LUBE BANCA MARCHE MACERATA – TRENKWALDER MODENA 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 25-18, 21-25, 15-11) –

LUBE BANCA MARCHE MACERATA: Raymaekers, Paparoni, Vermiglio 4, Bartoletti, Stankovic 10, Martino 12, Corsano (L), Omrcen 25, Swiderski 15, Podrascanin 15. DNP Cisolla, Smerilli, Monopoli. Coach. De Giorgi.

TRENKWALDER MODENA: Manià (L), Kooistra 16, Cuturic 10, Dennis 20, Kooy, Esko 4, Casoli 3, Diaz Mayorca 16, Piscopo 5. DNP Soli, Ciabattini, Biribanti. Coach. Prandi.

It was a pure playoffs atmosphere in a packed Fontescodella gym. Macerata had the better of Modena in game 2, in what was the third tie-break of the season between the two teams. Macerata goes 2-0 up in the series and will therefore have a chance to seal it and go through to the semi-finals on Sunday. Podrascanin matched Gravina’s record in the playoffs with 9 blocks while Omrcen was named MVP as he tallied 24 points (51% in attack).

Ferdinando De Giorgi (Lube Banca Marche Macerata): “It was a good game, the team played at an excellent level tonight too. We made a few silly mistakes in the first set and lost it but we did well to bounce back and win it with determination at the tie-break. The team is definitely playing better than it was in the regular season, but the series against Modena is not over yet. We really have to keep this in mind. To be 2-0 up is an extremely valuable result but still not enough to say it’s over. We’ll face more difficult battles, we’ll have to be ready like we have been in those two games”.

Angel Dennis (Trenkwalder Modena): “Good game, spectacular. We gave it our best shot, but Macerata is in great form, they played very well in every area of the game, which makes it very difficult for us. Let’s not put our heads down before game 3”.

Fixtures

Thursday 1 April at 8.30pm

Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – CoprAtlantide Piacenza GAME 1

(Bartolini-Pol)

Acqua Paradiso Monza – Sisley Treviso GAME 2

(Santi-Saltalippi)

Sunday 4 April at 6pm

Trenkwalder Modena – Lube Banca Marche Macerata GAME 3 – diretta Rai Sport Più

Monday 5 April at 6pm

CoprAtlantide Piacenza – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo GAME 2

Sisley Treviso – Acqua Paradiso Monza GAME 3