PIACENZA through to #CEVCupM 8th Finals after drama-filled Golden Set victory
News
On Wednesday night, Gas Sales Bluenergy PIACENZA secured their place in the 8th Finals of the CEV Volleyball Cup. They did so with much determination and it took a drama-filled Golden Set (19-17) after the Italians had lost the re-match with Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE 1-3 (24-26, 25-18, 17-25, 22-25). PIACENZA had to cancel two match points for the Czechs, wasted two such opportunities of their own before they could capitalise on their third chance to close the match in their favour. Their next opponent will be Rio Duero SORIA of Spain – with the first matchup scheduled for January 21 in Spain followed by the return game in Italy a week later.
After losing the first set where they had set the pace for a long time, the ‘Biancorossi’ made up for it in the second set, only to surrender in the third and fourth sets due to numerous serving errors. José Miguel Gutierrez scored 26 points and Alessandro Bovolenta piled up 22, but there were also 26 serving errors compared to six aces only.
At the start of the match, coach Boninfante opted for Paolo Porro and Bovolenta as setter and opposite hitter, middle blockers Francesco Comparoni and Joris Seddik, Lukas Bergmann and Gutierrez as outside hitters, and Luca Loreti as libero. Gianluca Galassi remained in Italy for personal reasons, while Robertlandy Simon continues his recovery in Piacenza after undergoing surgery, while Ramazan Efe Mandiraci caught a flu and remained at the hotel.
Dante Boninfante“We played with our hearts in the Golden Set when our energy was really fading. I am happy with this victory, but of course we need to review the end of the first set when we wasted too many opportunities, and we know how important every single set is in the European Cups. I also did not like the start of the third set, and in the fourth we were a bit too fearful and failed to close out even basic actions, but my appreciation to the players for the Golden Set, where we even came back from two points down.”
Head coach of Gas Sales Bluenergy PIACENZA