Four teams for two spots in the Del Monte Italian Cup final in the Serie A2 to be played on February 7 in Assago.
The first semi-final will be in the PalaGlobo Luca Polsinelli arena where Sora will play host to Tuscania. Sora has constantly been among the best in recent years and now they want to go one step further and overcome for the first time the cup semi-finals. Fabio Soli’s men had to work hard to get there. They had the better of Cantù at the tie-break just before beating them again (3-1) in the league away from home, which consolidated their second place, two points behind the leaders. In order to make it into the final, they will have to win a difficult derby against Tuscania, currently fifth in the table. Tuscania qualified thanks to a near perfect game against Potenza Picena, last year’s finalist. They celebrated victory in the league too, coming back from Tricase with a 3-2 win over Alessano. They took two points after seeing the hosts coming back from 2-0 down to 2-2.
On Thursday, the holder and Serie A2 league leaders of Vibo Valentia will entertain Siena. In the quarter-finals, they needed just over 90 minutes to dispose of Ortona on a 3-1 score, while on Wednesday they had the better of Potenza Picena in four sets after nearly two hours of play. The hosts will probably be without the injured spiker Antonio De Paola, while middle blocker Marcello Forni, who was well substituted by the young Graziano Maccarone, should be fit to play. Vibo will hunt for a third triumph in the cup, while it would be their fifth final. On the other side of the net, there will be the beginner Siena, who recently strengthened its squad with the Spanish international Noda Blanco. And they registered a memorable win in Monterotondo at the tie-break against Civita Castellana in the quarter-finals. Caponeri’s men are enjoying some success in the league too as their four-set win over Brescia brought them within three points of the third place.
Del Monte® Italian Cup Serie A2 – Semi-finals
Wednesday 27 January at 8.30pm
Globo Banca Pop. Frusinate Sora – Maury’s Italiana Assicurazioni Tuscania Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Zingaro-Fretta)
Thursday 28 January at 8.30pm
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia – Emma Villas Siena Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Puletti-Saltalippi L.)
Del Monte® Italian Cup Serie A2 – Final
Mediolanum Forum – Assago (MI)
Sunday 7 February at 2pm
SuperLega UnipolSai Results:
Calzedonia Verona – Exprivia Molfetta 2-3 (25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 19-25, 8-15)
Revivre Milano – DHL Modena 0-3 (18-25, 19-25, 15-25)
Ninfa Latina – Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova 0-3 (18-25, 16-25, 17-25)
Diatec Trentino – Sir Safety Conad Perugia 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-18)
CMC Romagna – Gi Group Monza 1-3 (23-25, 25-19, 24-26, 18-25)
Tonazzo Padova – LPR Piacenza 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-18)
League table
DHL Modena 37, Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova 36, Diatec Trentino 32, Sir Safety Conad Perugia 28, Calzedonia Verona 28, Exprivia Molfetta 20, Ninfa Latina 18, Gi Group Monza 15, Tonazzo Padova 14, CMC Romagna 13, LPR Piacenza 6, Revivre Milano 5
LONGEST GAME: 01.57
Calzedonia Verona – Exprivia Molfetta (2-3)
QUICKEST GAME: 01.10
Ninfa Latina – Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova (0-3)
LONGEST SET: 00.35
3° Set (24-26) CMC Romagna – Gi Group Monza
QUICKEST SET: 00.22
2° Set (16-25) Ninfa Latina – Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova
TEAM HIGHS
ATTACK: 59,4%
Tonazzo Padova
RECEPTION: Perf. 40,5%
DHL Modena
BLOCKS: 15
Gi Group Monza
POINTS: 69
Gi Group Monza
ACES: 9
Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova
INDIVIDUAL HIGHS
POINTS: 26
Fernando Hernandez Ramos (Exprivia Molfetta)
SPIKES: 23
Fernando Hernandez Ramos (Exprivia Molfetta)
ACES: 5
Taylor Sander (Calzedonia Verona)
BLOCKS:5
Thomas Beretta (Gi Group Monza)
THE BESTS
Fernando HERNANDEZ RAMOS (Calzedonia Verona – Exprivia Molfetta)
Bruno MOSSA DE REZENDE (Revivre Milano – DHL Modena)
Micah CHRISTENSON (Ninfa Latina – Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova)
Tine URNAUT (Diatec Trentino – Sir Safety Conad Perugia)
Iacopo BOTTO (CMC Romagna – Gi Group Monza)
Gonzalo QUIROGA (Tonazzo Padova – LPR Piacenza)
