Civitanova overtakes Siena, the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup are decisive
CIVITANOVA MARCHE (MACERATA) – In the recovery of the 8th day of the SuperLega Credem Banca, Cucine Lube Civitanova, in its seventh consecutive victory between the championship and the Champions League, beats Emma Villas Aubay Siena with a clear 3-0 (25-23, 25-11, 25-18), earning second place in the final standings of the Regular Season first leg, which also determines the grid of the eight teams participating in the Del Monte® Coppa Italia 2023. In the Quarter Finals, the team from the Marches, as second seeded, will play the one-off match of the Quarter Finals at home on Thursday 29 December, which are worth accessing the Final Four in Rome against Allianz Milano, while the other two Quarters, in addition to the already known combination between Sir Safety Susa Perugia and Top Volley Cisterna, will be Valsa Group Modena – Itas Trentino and WithU Verona – Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza.
Cucine Lube has to sweat in the first set to get the best of the Tuscans, good at mending first from the 2-6 conqueror from the hosts with shifts serving Zaytsev and Nikolov, then from 9-13 pawing with blocks in sequence of Anzani and the same Bulgarian hammer (5-1 for the team for Lube in this fundamental one), finally from the new -3 written by the attacks of Mattia Bottolo (8 points, 64% in attack), for the occasion again starting in place of Yant. On 19-20, which calls the set into question once again, Emma Villas signs it with an ace from Pereyra, on the pitch with the change of the attack diagonal that brought Pinelli into the control room. But parity will never come: in the final head-to-head the home team, with Gabi Garcia inside for Zaytsev, in fact puts down the point of the definitive 25-23 with a winning pipe from Nikolov, author of 5 points with 64% effective on dunks. Cucine Lube returns to the field with the starting sextet in the second set, and this time it really takes off from the start, with Bottolo and Zaytsev protagonists. The young ex Padova spiker lands the two balls in a row that give the cooks the momentary 11-5, his masterly turn in serve (1 ace) with which Civitanova even digs the +11, or 18-7. The rest is academy for the Italian champions, who crush with 67% of positivity against 29% of their opponents (100% in the first half for Chinenyeze, 3 points), get applause on several occasions even with the spectacular defenses of Fabio Balaso, and closes 25-11 with the aforementioned Zaytsev, author of 7 points resulting from an excellent 83% effectiveness in attack and 2 blocks. Pelillo, on the Tuscan side, tries the Pereyra card again in the third set. But the script will be the same as the previous one, with Cucine Lube Civitanova flying undisturbed towards the 25-17 which is worth the final 3-0. Mattia Bottolo, author of 14 points (52% in attack, 62% in reception with 43% perfect, 2 aces), is the MVP of the match.
THE PROTAGONISTS-
Mattia Bottolo (Cucine Lube Civitanova) –«I’m happy to have found safety on the pitch today, as well as the rest of the team. For some games now we’ve been combining good performances with important results. This victory certifies the second place. We entered the field with the right attitude and we can be satisfied. With this ranking position in the Quarters of Del Monte® Coppa Italia we will face Milan at home, a tough rival, the elimination rounds are never taken for granted. Last year I saw Lube’s match against Milan in the Quarterfinals. It will be another game, they have strengthened, we are another team, it will be fun. We are happy for second place, it wasn’t obvious. We were good at finding this physical and mental shape after the missteps in the championship at the beginning».
Federico Pereyra (Emma Villas Aubay Siena)- « We played against a great team, the reigning Italian champions. In the first set we managed to stay point by point, in the second and third we didn’t succeed. We have to stick together and keep working and get to the next matches in the best possible conditions. We must always be ready, also in view of the matches announced against Perugia and against Milan. Things didn’t go for the best today, but I trust my teammates and I believe we can put in good performances to achieve our goal of salvation».
THE TABLE-
CUCINE LUBE CIVITANOVA – EMMA VILLAS AUBAY SIENA 3-0 (25-23, 25-11, 25-18)
LUBE CIVITANOVA KITCHENS: De Cecco 2, Bottolo 14, Anzani 5, Zaytsev 14, Nikolov 13, Chinenyeze 6, Gottardo 0, Garcia Fernandez 0, D’Amico (L), Balaso (L). NE Ambrose, Diamantini, Yant Herrera, Sottile. Everyone. Blengini.
EMMA VILLAS AUBAY SIENA: Finoli 0, Petric 11, Mazzone 8, Pinali 3, Van Garderen 3, Ricci 5, Pochini (L), Raffaelli 4, Biglino 0, Bonami (L), Pinelli 0, Pereyra 8. All. Pelillo.
REFEREES: Zavater, Cavalieri.
NOTES – set duration: 30′, 21′, 27′; total: 78′
MVP: Mattia Bottolo (Cucine Lube Civitanova)
Spectators: 1,387
CREDEM BANCA SUPERLEAGUE RANKING (AFTER THE 1ST MATCHDAY RETURN)-
Sir Safety Susa Perugia 36, Cucine Lube Civitanova 23, Valsa Group Modena 23, Itas Trentino 22, Sales Gas Bluenergy Piacenza 22, WithU Verona 19, Top Volley Cisterna 18, Allianz Milano 17, Vero Volley Monza 12, Pallavolo Padova 9, Gioiella Prisma Taranto 9, Emma Villas Aubay Siena 6.
DEFINED THE GRID AND THE CALENDAR OF THE QUARTER-QUARTER OF THE ITALIAN CUP –
Wednesday 28 December 2022, 8.30pm
Valsa Modena Group – Itas Trentino
Thursday 29 December 2022, 8.30pm
WithU Verona – Sale of Bluenergy Gas Piacenza
Kitchens Lube Civitanova – Allianz Milan
Sir Safety Susa Perugia – Top Volley Cisterna