The guests started better but then broke up: the first act of the series ended 3-0 for the hosts
Verona started off on the right foot in Game 1 and eliminated with the maximum margin a Civitanova who started better but then melted away, was weighed down by many errors (29) and by a rarely effective service. The watershed of the match was the first partial: again led by Lube but then won by a comeback by Rana. Soli’s team showed an attack (62%) and a service (9 aces) that were clearly superior to their opponents: Darlan and Keita the reference points on which a linear Christenson relied. Civitanova consoles itself with Nikolov top scorer, but too little to extend the match. Rana who has to do without Cortesia and lines up with Christenson-Darlan, Keita-Mozic, Zingel-Vitelli, Staforini libero while Lube responds with Boninfante-Nikolov, Bottolo-Loeppky, D’herr-Gargiulo and Balaso libero. Infinite first set: Civitanova’s defense and counterattack put the Venetians in crisis, who only found effectiveness in the game towards the end: Lube was wasteful and missed two set points, Rana needed eight to complete an unexpected, stunning comeback. In the second, Verona, on the wings of enthusiasm, throws the ball away and then Medei is forced to change, inserting Orduna and Posdrascanin, to try to resist. The attack and the Scaliger wall grow, the Marche players only have the strength to score the 16-16 with Bottolo before succumbing to the shots of Keita and Mozic orchestrated magnificently by Christenson. Third set a photocopy of the previous one: Civitanovesi holding on until 15-15 and then succumbing to the Veronese attack which with Keita and Darlan goes on to take the match.
Championship playoff semi-finals:
Rana Verona-Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-0 (34-32, 25-21, 25-21)
Monday 6 April (5.30pm) Sir Susa Scai Perugia-Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
