Comunicato Stampa della Lega Pallavolo Serie A

Serie A1 Sustenium

Quarter-finals Game 5

The suspense is maximum in the playoffs quarter-finals 2011. Indeed, two series will be decided in the fifth game. Modena had tied the series with Monza on Saturday and Treviso followed suit despite finding itself 2-0 down earlier in the series against Macerata. Here is the schedule and preview:

Playoff Serie A1 Sustenium – GAME 5

Wednesday 20 April at 8.30pm

Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza (4) – Casa Modena (5) Live on Rai Sport 1

Thursday 21 April at 8.30pm

Lube Banca Marche Macerata (3) – Sisley Treviso (6) Live on Rai Sport 1

PLAYOFF SEMI-FINALS

Game 1: Sunday 24 and Monday 25 April

Game 2: Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 April

Game 3: Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1 May

Game 4: Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 May

Game 5: Saturday 7 and Sunday 8

PLAYOFF FINAL

Final (V-Day): Sunday 15 May in Roma (PalaLottomatica)

Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza – Casa Modena

(2-2)

Past encounters: 8 (4 each)

Luca Monti (coach Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza): “Daniele Bagnoli said that tomorrow’s game represents their V-Day. It’s the same for us, it’s the in-or-out game, we know it won’t be easy but we’d like it to be a moment to remember in our season. A win would be the ice on the cake. As for the game, there’s not much to say, it will be the sixth time we’ll meet in a month, the team know each other by heart now. Given Sunday’s result, they are probably favourite but we have proved we could do well at home in those playoffs. In the PalaIper, we are a different team. We want this win and we’ll do everything possible to get it”.

Daniele Bagnoli (coach Casa Modena): “The deciding games are different from all the others: I’ve seen unbelievable games in which teams got off to brilliant starts and then totally lost it or vice versa. These are unique games. Like always in the playoffs, and even more so on Wednesday, it will be important to handle the pressure and the important moments of the game. Technically and tactically, both team know everything there is to know. Monza is physically better, we have many question marks on the fitness of some players. We can’t afford to relax at any moment. We both want the semi-final badly. What we’ll have to do is play good volleyball”.

Lube Banca Marche Macerata – Sisley Treviso

(2-2)

Past encounters: 58 (31-27 Treviso)

Alessandro Paparoni (Lube Banca Marche Macerata): “We’re obviously disappointed not to have sealed the series after winning the first 2 games, but right now I think it would be wrong to think about what happened, we have to focus exclusively on Thursday’s game, which is worth a whole season for us. It will be crucial to get on court with the right attitude and be more consistent than in recent games, avoiding the lapses that really cost us dearly. I am confident, we all have to be because this team has already proved many times it could play excellent volleyball. We want to go through badly, we’ll leave it out on the floor to do so on Thursday”. 

Gabriele Maruotti (Sisley Treviso): “From Game 2 to Game 3, nothing has changed psychologically. At 2-0 down, we believed in our chances, as always. We have probably played better on the serve and at the net in the last two encounters. The spirit was good even after the two defeats. We knew we could turn things around, we have won four times against Macerata in regular season in two years. Now it will be tough for both teams. We expect their gym to be packed, with a special atmosphere, we have to be ready for it”.

Serie A2 Sustenium

Playoff quarter-finals Game 3

The 8 teams that qualified for the post season in the A2 are back in action this Wednesday with Game 3 of the quarter-finals.

Padova, Santa Croce and Città di Castello had a 1-0 lead thanks to their better regular season positions and they all made it a 2-0 advantage in their series respectively over Sora, Isernia and Loreto. A win in Game 3 would send them in the semi-finals.

The only teams already certain to play Game 4 are Genova and Segrate 1978. Genova finished 5^th in the regular season, one place above Segrate, and had therefore a 1-0 lead given but it failed to make the court advantage count and were pegged back  by Ricci’s team which won game 2 in straight set and will host the next two encounters.

Wednesday April 20 at 8.30pm – GAME 3

Gobo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora – Phyto Performance Padova

Volley Segrate 1978 – Carige Genova

Geotec Isernia – NGM Mobile Santa Croce

Energy Resources Carilo Loreto – Gherardi SVI Città di Castello

Thursday April 21 at 8.30pm – GAME 4 (If needed)

Gobo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora – Phyto Performance Padova

Volley Segrate 1978 – Carige Genova

Geotec Isernia – NGM Mobile Santa Croce

Energy Resources Carilo Loreto – <SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; FON