Cucine Lube Civitanova-Azimut Modena 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 20-25, 25-19, 15-11); Diatec Trentino-Sir Safety Conad Perugia 3-1 (16-25, 25-22, 26-24, 25-22).
Cucine Lube Civitanova – Azimut Modena 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 20-25, 25-19, 15-11) – Cucine Lube Civitanova: Christenson 5, Juantorena 12, Stankovic 6, Sokolov 17, Kovar 6, Candellaro 11, Grebennikov (L), Pesaresi 0, Cebulj 1, Casadei 0, Kaliberda 3, Cester 4 DNP. Corvetta. Coach Blengini. Azimut Modena: Orduna 0, Ngapeth E. 31, Holt 12, Vettori 12, Petric 6, Le Roux 4, Rossini (L), Travica 2, Massari 0, Piano 0. DNP Onwuelo, Ngapeth S.. Coach Tubertini. REFEREES: Rapisarda, Puecher. NOTES – Attendence 4.000. sets: 27′, 26′, 28′, 28′, 21′; tot: 130′. MVP Cester
Cucine Lube Civitanova won Game 1 of semifinals, but after a tough and great game versus defending champs Azimut Modena. Still undefeated at Eurosuole Forum, Lube won at tie break trailing from 1-2 in the count of the sets. In first set Lube took an early lead, 14-9 in the middle of the set and 19-15 approaching the crunch time of the set, winning the first set with a great spike of Osmany Juantorena 25-22. Second set started in the best way for Modena with a great turn in the fundamental of serve by Kevin Le Roux first, and then with some other good serves by Dragan Travica and Nemanja Petric. Civitanova fought back, keeping the set on the edge, but Azimut is strong down the net and won the set 25-22, tying the game. In third Azimut Modena took an important lead in the middle, 15-12 and then 18-13. Gianlorenzo Blengini put on court Denys Kaliberda in place of Jiri Kovar and Enrico Cester in place of captain Dragan Stankovic, but the set is for Modena, 25-20. A good start for the defending champs in the fourth, 5-3, but Lube fought back thanks to Cester, taking an important lead on 14-7. Fourth set is for the home team 25-19, in the madhouse of Eurosuole Forum, tie break in this exciting Game 1. In the fifth act of this game Lube found great performances by Davide Candellaro and Cester, who put on the ground the 11-7 ace, and the game is for Lube 15-11 at the tie break. Game 2 in Modena next sunday at 18.
Jenia Grebennikov (Cucine Lube Civitanova): “We knew it would be a difficoult series, and on today we had the prove of this. It was fundamental for us to take home this Game 1, it was tough and hard, Modena served very well all game long. Will be a long long series, but before think to Game 2, we will have to focus on Champions League next wednesday”.
Lorenzo Tubertini (Azimut Modena): “We played a good game, Lube played better in tie break, more focused than us. The series is open, and on sunday in Modena we have to tie the series, but now we will have to thinkto Champions League game next wednesday versus Resovia”.
