Volleyball: Superlega, Cisterna hit from the playoffs with Piacenza, Civitanova is running

Penultimate day of the regular season with two advances, tomorrow the 21st day is completed.

Civitanova-Milan 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-12)
The resistance of a decimated Milan lasts an hour in the presence of a Lube who, driven by Bottolo (mvp) from the second set onwards, disputes a useful training session in a Champions League key after instead suffering in the initial partial in the presence of an Allianz in whose ranks Mergarejo was the top scorer of the contest with 16 points. Block (8 winning blocks) and attack (56%) then allowed Civitanova to take off and close the second and third sets downhill. At the end of the match press silence of the players on precise directives of the club of the patron Fusaro. A match conditioned by the many absentees in the Milanese ranks: in addition to Ishikawa recovering from the injury accused in the Italian Cup who watches the match from the bench, the Piazza team has to give up many starting players affected by the covid. There are no Patry, Porro, Ebadipour and Bonacchi among the Lombards with Loser on the dribble and three spikers like Vitelli, Mergarejo and Pesaresi. Blengini instead relies on the typical sextet who in the last few outings has brought home important victories to consolidate the fourth position in the standings. Surprising departure for Piazza’s team who assert themselves against the block and in attack, reassembling Lube with Mergarejo (17-19). Blengini throws Bottolo onto the field for Nikolov, a move that reverses the score again and gives the sprint to the red and white who, thanks above all to Yant (6) go on to win a less obvious partial than expected. Second which opens in the sign of Zaytsev, whose service digs the 5-0. This time Milan struggles more to keep up with the pace of the tricolors, also because Blengini’s team takes measures against their opponents and it’s another turn to serve, this time by Yant, to sink the last chances of the Milanese forced to surrender more clearly than what happened in the initial set. One-way third: there is also room for Garcia who makes Zaytsev catch his breath in the second part of the partial who delivers a victory that is more than ever obvious to Civitanova while Milan exits the Eurosuole Forum with military honors due to the reduced staff little light with which he had to face this challenge. (Mauro Giustozzi)

Cisterna-Piacenza 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-20)
Top Volley finally returns to success in the last home game of the regular season. At the Palasport of Cisterna, Soli’s men impose themselves on Piacenza, returning to success after 5 days. Bayram mvp. Soli relies on the diagonal Baranowicz-Dirlic, Rossi-Zingel central, Bayram-Sedlacek in the band, Staforini free. Gas Sales, galvanized by the recent conquest of the Italian Cup, appears on the field with Brizard in control who will have the task of serving people like Romanò, Lucarelli and Leal in the best possible way. The hosts start strong with Sedlacek stamping the 6-3; the Croatian takes center stage again shortly after with the ace of 9-4. Botti’s line-up is clearly in difficulty in these first few stages of the match, but tries to react with the cunning touch of Leal (13-8). Top Volley is in great confidence and Brizard’s mistake from 9 meters brings the pontini to +6. The blue-and-whites will no longer be reached and with great merit they win the partial thanks to Sedlacek (25-18). Second set: Cisterna still ahead with Rossi’s touch in the net (8-6). Amazing wall by Zingel on Leal and pontini at +4. Piacenza tries to react with the beautiful diagonal from Romanò (15-12), but the guests continue to suffer from the initiatives of Baranowicz and his teammates. After a long exchange it is Dirlic who stamps the point of 17-12 and also directs this partial in favor of the Pontines. In Gas Sales outside Lucarelli and inside Recine who is immediately the protagonist in the negative, with an incorrect serve, which sends Cisterna up 20-15. Among the hosts there is a Bayram in great shape: he is the ace for 22-16. Piacenza’s players continue to be unresponsive and even the second set is conquered without too many worries by Soli’s men. Cisterna 64% in attack, Piacenza 48%. Third set: this time the guests start better with Romanò’s ace (5-4). Botti’s team remains ahead thanks to Lucarelli’s winning serve (12-9). Broadside by Dirlic and Top Volley who stops the rivals’ escape attempt by remaining three lengths down. Lucarelli’s mistake and it’s back to a draw (15-15), then Rossi overtakes with his classic action at the net (16-15). The end of the set is a fight on every ball with Bayram restoring the balance again (18-18). Zingel’s block, and Lucarelli’s consequent mistake in attack, bring Cisterna up 23-20 and it is here that the match is decided. Cisterna will no longer be reached by bringing home the three points after a race dominated far and wide. Piacenza, probably satisfied by the triumph in the Cup, has never given the feeling of being able to win today. A success that leaves Soli’s team still some chance of qualifying for the playoffs. (Diego Rocks)