Final Game 2 result:
Sir Safety Conad Perugia – DHL Modena 2-3 (25-21, 17-25, 26-24, 23-25, 10-15)
SIR SAFETY CONAD PERUGIA – DHL MODENA 2-3 (25-21, 17-25, 26-24, 23-25, 10-15) – SIR SAFETY CONAD PERUGIA: Buti 7, Fromm, De Cecco 2, Kaliberda 11, Giovi (L), Russell 17, Tzioumakas, Elia 1, Atanasijevic 20, Fanuli, Birarelli 6. DNP Holt, Dimitrov. Coach. Kovac.
DHL MODENA: Mossa De Rezende 3, Petric 11, Rossini (L), Sartoretti 1, Ngapeth 20, Nikic 6, Bossi 2, Sens, Saatkamp 16, Vettori 22, Sighinolfi. DNP Donadio, Soli, Casadei. Coach. Lorenzetti.
It’s Modena again in this second game of the SuperLega playoffs final. The heat was put on by the home fans in the sold out Pala Evangelisti arena and the hosts did offer a convincing performance, much better than in Game 1, but Modena came away with it. Perugia pushed the runners up of the regular season to their limits but the tie-break after two full hours of play proved bitter.
The Block Devils were the first off the starting blocks (25-21). Modena needed time to settle in but once they found the timing at the net (7 blocks), they dominated (25-17 the second set). The third set was an exciting battle in which the hosts got the crowd on their feet as they managed to hold off a late come-back from Modena (26-24). The fourth set was the turning point of the game. Perugia did well to find its way back in the set thanks to a run of serve from Russell (23-23) but an unlucky reception from Kaliberda sent the game to the tie-break. In the decisive fifth set, it was tight until Ngapeth went to serve. He made Perugia lose its rhythm and was named MVP of the game (20 points).
On Sunday, Modena will have its first chance to win the title on home soil.
Aaron Russell (Sir Safety Conad Perugia): “We expected more from this game, but compared to the last one we have improved a lot in reception, which had been our main weakness in Game 1. But we should have been more consistent, especially in the tie-break”.
Bruno Mossa De Rezende (Dhl Modena): “We’ve just come here to play. That’s all. We’ve done what we had to do in a league final. They did an excellent job of containing our serve even when we hit it hard. Credit to us though for maintaining a high level of concentration throughout and for playing with our heads”.
Fixtures
League Playoffs final, Game 3
Sunday 8 May at 5.30pm Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
DHL Modena – Sir Safety Conad Perugia
Game 4 (If needed)
Thursday 12 May at 8.40pm Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
Sir Safety Conad Perugia – DHL Modena
Game 5
Sunday 15 May at 5.30pm Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
DHL Modena – Sir Safety Conad Perugia
