After the big disappointment of loss in Quarterfinals Game 3 in Modena, after being in front 1-0 in the series with the home court advantage, Verona now is still looking for Europe, through the Playoff Challenge.
No tomorrow game at PalaPanini in front of the usual huge and enthusiastic crow in Medena for Unipolsai Superleague Quarterfinals Game 3 between defending champs Azimut Modena and Calzedonia Verona. Verona won Game 1 on road, Modena won in Verona Game 2 tying the series, and now the time has come, from this game will come the team who will face Cucine Lube Civittanova in the semifinals. It was a balanced first set, with Modena who took a coupe of breaks, taking the lead on 22-17, and winning the set 25-21. In second big balance again, until the tie at 9, then once again Modena nailed a couple of breaks with Luca Vettori and Earvin Ngapeth, winning also second set 25-19. It seems done for Azimut, Verona is in trouble in attack and in reception, with Mitar Djuric on the bench since first set and with slovenian Toncek Stern on court on the opposite side for Nikola Grbic. Calzedonia fought back in third, taking an early lead and winning the set 25-20, but in fourth once again Ngapeth and Vettori stepped up, taking Modena on their shoulders and winning the fourth set 25-19, clinching the last semifinals’ spot, where they will face N.1 seed Cucine Lube Civitanova
Lorenzo Tubertini (Azimut Modena): “We played a good game, advancing to the semifinals knowing our strength. The guys were great, but we have to improve again. I always believed in the semifinals, we are united, we can do good things together”
Luigi Randazzo (Calzedonia Verona): “We were ready for this game, unfortunately we lost an important player as Mitar Djuric in first plays of the game. On tonight we gave everything, we don’t have any regret”.
Azimut Modena – Calzedonia Verona 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 20-25, 25-19).
Azimut Modena – Calzedonia Verona 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 20-25, 25-19) – Azimut Modena: Travica 2, Ngapeth E. 19, Holt 7, Vettori 16, Petric 9, Le Roux 6, Rossini (L), Massari 0, Orduna 0, Piano 1. DNP. Onwuelo, Ngapeth S. Coach Tubertini. Calzedonia Verona: Baranowicz 5, Kovacevic 15, Anzani 5, Djuric 0, Randazzo 9, Zingel 6, Frigo (L), Stern 9, Giovi (L), Ferreira 0, Lecat 1. DNP Paolucci, Mengozzi. Coach Grbic. REFEREES: Cesare, La micela. NOTES – Attendence: 4.629. sets: 25′, 22′, 27′, 30′; tot: 104′. MVP Ngapeth E.