Volleyball, Milano puts the fifth: beat Ravenna 3-0

Fifth consecutive joy for Allianz Powervolley which regains the top of the playoffs in 5th place and mathematically wins a place in the semi-finals.

Allianz Powervolley regains the top of the playoff rankings in 5th place Milano which makes the postponement of the fifth day its own. The match against Ravenna rewards Piano and his teammates who find the most victories (5 out of 5) and fly to 13 points in the standings, repelling Piacenza's attack and returning to +3 on the Emilians, mathematically conquering the semi-final (by set quotient, Milano will be able to finish at least second in the group). Against the Romagna players, coach Piazza's boys took to the field with the right attitude, winning in three sets (3-0 | 25-19, 25-23, 25-18) thanks also to the excellent performance of Sbertoli, who won the MVP award which, with his direction, brought Maar and Patry to double figures (12 points for both). Marco Camperi, assistant coach of the Milanese team, has his say on the match: «I'm happy that we achieved the minimum objective of playing the semi-final: we will however continue with the same idea of ​​winning the group to be able to play the semi-final and eventual final at home. Today was also a beautiful match to watch, two teams who have playing characteristics met. Now another battle awaits us with Verona, because we have seen that the teams are not about to lose: every match will have to be played with a knife between the teeth».

MILAN - The fifth day of the 5th place playoffs ends with the success of Allianz Powervolley. In the postponement on Monday, staged at the FIPAV Pavesi Center, it is in fact Milano to win 3-0 over Ravenna and to win the three points up for grabs which take coach Piazza's team to 13th in the standings. Piano and his teammates thus repelled Piacenza's attack which, with the 3-0 over Vibo, had grabbed the Milanese team at the top with 10 points, bringing them back to +3 on Piacenza and, in fact, mathematically clinching a place in the semi-finals (for set quotient, Milano will be able to finish at least second in the group).

The confrontation between them thus lasts 3 sets Milano and Ravenna: after last Thursday's excellent performance against Gas Sales Bluenergy, Allianz Powervolley makes no mistakes and finds the pokerissimo of victories. 5 out of 5 for coach Piazza's boys who, even against Ravenna, took to the field with the right attitude mental to win the 3-point haul. A match that was anything but obvious and pitted two teams against each other who, in this 5th place playoff, have always got things right in the first 4 games. However, the group led by Matteo Piano did not miss the chance to win, arriving in 3 sets (25-19, 25-23, 25-18), confirming itself as the lone leader of the pool. Enjoyable and pleasant match, with the two teams facing each other head on: coach Piazza trusted Maar and Basic in place 4, putting Mosca back in the center with Kozamernik and confirming Sbertoli-Patry in diagonal position 2 and Pesaresi libero. First set in Milanese colours: after a point-to-point start, the hosts put their foot down, raising the wall (4 in the set) and closing on Arasomwan's error in the first half (25-19). Big brawl in the second set: Ravenna fights point to point, but Milano, led by Maar (7 points with 67% in attack) finds the sprint at the end with Basic's hands out for 25-23. The third and final fraction is two-sided: Milano at the start he creates the furrow (18-9), only to then loosen his grip and allow Ravenna to recover a few points (21-17), until Basic's final ace which is worth 25-18.

The great protagonist of the meeting is Riccardo Sbertoli, who wins the MVP award. His high-class playmaking set the high-ball attackers in motion Milano, in which the evidence of Maar and Patry, who both finished with 12 points. The immediate impressions at the end of the challenge come from words of Marco Camperi, second coach of Allianz Powervolley: "I'm happy that we achieved the minimum objective of playing the semi-final: we will however continue with the same idea of ​​winning the group to be able to play the semi-final and eventual final at home. Today was also a beautiful match to watch, two teams met who have similar playing characteristics and who tend to lengthen rallies when they are in difficulty. In the first two sets the difference was made by our blocking, both by closing direct points and by touching a lot, then the third was a different set in which a big gap opened up, in which the team probably lost attention and we allowed the opponents to return with some carelessness but always having control of the match. Now another battle awaits us with Verona, because we have seen that the teams don't stand to lose: if they do a bit of turnover the guys who come in are eager to show off, so we know that every match will be played with a knife between their teeth». Now a few days to recover your energy: Thursday we'll immediately return to the field for the sixth, as well as penultimate, day of pool con Milano which will host NBV Verona at home on Thursday at the FIPAV Pavesi Center (19pm).

CHRONICLE

First set:
Starting six Milano with coach Piazza giving confidence to Maar and Basic in place 4, putting Mosca back in the center with Kozamernik and confirming Sbertoli-Patry in diagonal position 2 and Pesaresi libero. Balance at the start with Maar's parallel scoring the 5-all, with the fluid change of ball between the two teams bringing the score to 8-8 (winning attack by Basic). Milan took the lead with Maar's pushed ball (11-9), followed by Patry's winning block for 12-9 which led Bonitta to spend the first time out. Grozdanov's attack is out and he delivers to Milano an important +5 (15-10), but Pinali brings Ravenna back under by bombing from 9 meters (15-12). Mosca makes a mistake in the first half (attack out, 16-14), then Grozzdanov blocks Patry's way to make it 16-15 with a time out called by Piazza. Allianz Powervolley break with Basic's hands out (19-16), then Sbertoli's winning block for 20-16. Smash Basic after Ravenna's slash reception on Sbertoli's serve (22-17), with Kozamernik's first half for 24-19. After Ravenna's error, the set ends 25-19.

Second set:
Sbertoli lights up with one hand for Patry (5-3), with the great first half in Moscow for the 6-4. Another bomb at the net by Jean Patry (his eighth personal point) for 10-8, with the winning block on the Sbertoli-Moscow axis for 14-12. Maar's 9-metre bomb leads to a replay from Patry who finds a very powerful diagonal shot to make it 15-12. Ravenna finds parity from 9 meters (16-16), then Basic for the ball change of 17-16. Great point from Maar from the second line (18-16), but it is tied again with Pinali's ace (18-18). Another break Milano with Maar (20-18), with Maar's monster block on Pinali bringing the score to 22-19. Ravenna draws again (22-22), but Maar pulls the chestnuts out of the fire and finds the hands out at 23-22. Maar again for 24-23, then Basic closes for 25-23.

Third set:
Mosca made it 7-4 in the first half, then Maar piped in and Sbertoli's ace led Milano at 11-6. Another ace from Sbertoli which makes it 14-6, with Kozamernik's winning block (16-8). Another point from the Slovenian who takes advantage of Zonca's opponent's assist (18-9), with the Ravenna player redeeming himself on serve with two winning aces (18-11). Basic scored diagonally for 22-17, with the Frenchman closing the score from 9 meters (25-18).

TABLE

ALLIANZ POWERVOLLEY MILAN – CONSAR RAVENNA: 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-18)

Allianz Powervolley Milano: Basic 8, Kozamernik 7, Daldello 0, Sbertoli 4, Maar 12, Patry 12, Mosca 3, Urnaut 0, Pesaresi (L). Ne: Staforini (L), Weber, Meschiari, Piano, Ishikawa. Coach Roberto Piazza.

Consar Ravenna: Giuliani (L), Redwitz 0, Pirazzoli (L), Arasomwan 6, Zonca 14, Grozdanov 4, Batak 1, Pinali 13, Koppers 7. NE Recine, Orioli, Grottoli. All. Bonitta.

NOTES 

Duration set: 25', 29', 24'. Total duration: 1h and 18'. 

Allianz Powervolley Milano: winning serves 2, missed serves 11, blocks 8, attack 51%, reception 35% (17% perfect). 

Consar Ravenna: winning serves 4, missed serves 16, blocks 5, attack 45%, reception 44% (29% perfect).

Referees: Caretti – Papadopol. Third Referee: Manzoni.

Plant: FIPAV Pavesi Center of Milano

MVP: Sbertoli