Tine Urnaut blockes Tsvetan Sokolov
ph. Trabalza
Trento, 24 aprile 2017
The 2017 Play Off Scudetto UnipolSai Final starts tonight, Tuesday 25 April, in Eurosuole Forum in Civitanova Marche. After defeating Monza in two matches during the quarter finals and then Perugia in five matches of the semifinals, Diatec Trentino is about to face Cucine Lube in a challenge that puts the first two teams of regular season against each other. The match 1 starts off at 6 pm: live on RAI Sport + HD and on Radio Dolomiti.
HERE DIATEC TRENTINO After having to wait for two years, Trentino Volley can play the championship series again, but this time without the support of PalaTrento in most of the matches, as only two eventual matches are scheduled in Trento. Diatec Trentino can boast a clean sheet in home matches (23 consecutive wins) but has some problems in away matches, where the teams doesn’t win since 8 March (3-0 against Monza).
“Along with the Coppa Italia Final, the matches we’re about to play are the most beautiful for any player - stated coach Angelo Lorenzetti -. We’re in front of a very tough series, because Civitanova proved to be a top tea,; in order to succeed we must overcome our limits, especially in away matches, when we have been struggling the most this season. We’ll have some chances and must be determined and aggressive to take them.”
On Tuesday night the coach will count on every player, and will likely line up the seven regulars that played match 5 against Perugia. The team concluded at midday the last training before leaving for Civitanova. The player that played the most final matches is libero Massimo Colaci, during 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 editions, only two matches away from Birarelli (343 today, 345 for the middle-blocker), the player with the most caps for Trentino. It’s the fourth final for Burgsthaler, Lanza and Stokr, the second for Giannelli, Nelli, Tiziano Mazzone and Solé. The first timers are Antonov, Blasi, Chiappa, Daniele Mazzone, Urnaut and Van de Voorde.
TRENTINO VOLLEY’S HISTORY IN THE SCUDETTO PLAY OFFS It’s the fifteenth participation to the Play Off Scudetto for Trentino Volley, with the eighth final. Out of 20 matches of the final part of the competition, Trentino has won 11 and lost 9. In its history the team has played 100 matches in Play Offs: 63 wins and 37 defeats. On Tuesday night coach Lorenzetti will try to lead the team to the 64th win in post-season, in order to start off with the right foot towards the title Trento won on 7 May 2008 against Piacenza, on 15 May 2011 in Rome against Cuneo, on 12 May 2013 in PalaTrento against Piacenza and on 13 May 2015 in Modena.
TRENTINO VOLLEY AT THE 31ST FINAL OF ITS HISTORY Trentino Volley will play the third final of the season, after Coppa Italia (29 January 2017, against Civitanova) and 2017 CEV Cup (12-15 April, against Tours). The first final ever was in May 2008 won against Piacenza; so far, 16 wins and 14 defeats.
THE OPPONENT Cucine Lube Civitanova is back in a Scudetto final after three years (last time was in 2013/2014, winning against Perugia) in a total of 21 caps in Play Off Scudetto series; only Modena has more caps in this series. Since 1996, only in 2006/2007 did the team not reached this target. The team already played three Scudetto Finals, winning all of them (2005/2006, 2011/2012 and 2013/2014). Thanks to this record the atmosphere in Civitanova is exciting; after winning the regular season three matches before the end, the team won 5 matches and lost only one (in Modena during the semifinals) in the Play Off, with six days of training before tonight’s match.
Attack and serve have always been the opponent team’s best weapons, with the “ex” Sokolov and Juantorena as best attackers, while Kovar and Grebennikov ensure a solid defense phase. Lube is the team that scored the most blocks in Play Off, (69 blocks, 47 for Trento), thanks to middle-blockers Stankovic (16 personal blocks) and Candellaro (11), but also Kovar (12).
In Lube’s line up, the only players who already won a national title are Sokolov (with Trento in 2011), Juantorena (2 with Trento in 2011 and 2013), Stankovic (2) and Kovar (2). COrvetta, Kaliberda, Casadei and Kebulj the other players that played at least one Play Off Final.
PREVIOUS MATCHES With 53 official matches, Cucine Lube Civitanova is the second team Trentino Volley faced the most; after Modena (66) and ahead of Piacenza (52). Overall, Trentino leads with 30 wins against 23 defeats, but during this season Lube won three matches, and Trentino only one. The challenge already took place during 2012 Playoff finals, when Lube won the championship for 3-1 in the V-Day. It’s the seventh match in the final part of a competition, including the three Coppa Italia finals (2012, 2013, 2017) and three Supercoppa Italiana (2008, 2012, 2013) with three victories for Trento and four for Lube. On Tuesday it’s the third challenge between the two clubs in Scudetto Play Offs. There’s also a semifinal series in the record, 2010, with a 3-1 win for Trentino Volley. Last victory in Marche for Trentino Volley dates back to 10 February 2013, when Lube would play in Fontescodella in Macerata. In Eurosuola Forum the records says three matches with three defeats (one 3-2, two 3-0).
THE SERIES The final series is played in five matches; after match 1 on Tuesday night, the teams will take the court on Thursday 4 May at 8:30pm; match 3 is scheduled in Civitanova on Sunday 7 May at 4:30 pm. An eventual match 4 in PalaTrento would take place on Wednesday 10 May at 8:30 pm, while match 5 is on Saturday 13 May at 4:30 pm. The team that wins 3 matches will win the 2016/2017 Championship.
REFEREES Assigned to this match are Referees Luca Sobrero, first referee from Carcare (Savona), and Matteo Cipolla, second referee from Palermo. For Sobrero, working since 1996, internationally since 2004, it’s the seventeenth match in SuperLega; three of these matches were away games for Trentino; a 3-2 win on 14 October on Padova, a tie- break defeat against Modena on 20 November and a win in Busto Arsizio on 5 February. For Cipolla, working as referee since 1997, it’s the sixteenth match, only one with Trento.
TV, RADIO AND INTERNET Match 1 will be a global event, with live broadcast on tv, radio and internet. RAI Sport + HD, digital and satellite channel number 227, will broadcast live with Maurizio Colantoni and Andrea Lucchetta’s commentary. A live audio and video streaming will be available at www.raisport.rai.it/dl/raisport/multimedia/diretta.html, with more than 30 countries following the event thanks to Bandsports, Sportsklub, Sportsklub Poland, Eleven Sports, Sportsmax Caraibi, Saran, Telesports, Ote, Img and Perform.
As usual, the match will be broadcasted live with a full commentary on Radio Dolomiti, radio partner of Trentino Volley, starting from 5:55 pm. The frequencies are available on www.trentinovolley.it, and on www.radiodolomiti.com, with the “On Air” dedicated area.
On the internet, live updates are available on the Lega Pallavolo serie A (www.legavolley.it) and on www.trentinovolley.it as well as on the Yellow-blues social networks (www.trentinovolley.it/facebook e www.trentinovolley.it/twitter).
Trentino Volley
Press Office
