03/03/2016 23:06
TRENTINO cruise to commanding home win to shape up big clash with Russian Lions
2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Men
Trento, Italy, March 3, 2016. Italy’s champions TRENTINO Diatec qualified on Thursday night for the Playoffs 6 of the 2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League – Men after cruising to a straight-sets home win (25-18, 25-23, 25-19) over Belgium’s Volley ASSE-LENNIK, thereby confirming their superiority from the previous round. Their next opponent for a spot in the Final Four Tournament scheduled for April 16-17 in Krakow, Poland will be Russia’s standout and 2014 CL gold medal winners Belogorie BELGOROD.
The first points of the game were scored by a Belgian player, but unfortunately for the visitors of ASSE-LENNIK, these were claimed by the Belgian middle blocker of TRENTINO, Simon Van de Voorde. The Italians started the match strongly quickly claiming a 9-4 lead, thanks also to some mistakes made by Robin Overbeeke and Seppe Baetens and they maintained this rhythm up until the end of the opening set (25-18).
The second set was a lot more balanced with a neck and neck race before Gabriele Nelli and Tine Urnaut helped TRENTINO secure a 19-13 lead with some powerful attacks. At this point, TRENTINO slowed down a bit, Nelli could not find a way through the Belgian block anymore and finally ASSE-LENNIK closed in at 23-all. A block by Urnaut and a Belgian mistake from the service area saved the Italians, who seized the set 25-23.
In the third set Argentinean middle blocker Sebastian Solé and his teammates were back to their usual tempo and set the tone of the game with a 9-6 lead. However, ASSE-LENNIK did not give up and eventually drew level at 13-13. From this moment on, the match was again played point for point, until three mistakes in a row by the Belgians gave TRENTINO the right edge to claim the third set 25-19 and with it seal their 3-0 home win.
MVP of the match was Simon Van de Voorde with 12 points, including seven blocks and a superb 71% success rate in attack. The Dutch-born opposite of ASSE-LENNIK Robin Overbeeke squeezed in with 16 points to become the best scorer of the match. TRENTINO, on the other hand, did especially well at blocking, killing 13 in the match.
“We took a very important victory for our team; we claimed the qualification for the Playoffs 6 playing in a tough situation and we deserved it. Considering all the problems we are having in this period, I can be satisfied. Tonight we did great things at blocking, 13 points from this compartment are a positive result, not underestimating the experience and the quick passes of their setter Frank Depestele. Before preparing for the matches with BELGOROD, we have to stay focussed on the Italian national league,” stated TRENTINO head coach Radostin Stoytchev.
“TRENTINO deserved to win. Unfortunately we were not 100% in shape, and that of course does not help against a team like TRENTINO. I realised this already at the beginning of the match. I can say that I am satisfied because my team is young and we just need to train and get more experience,” said the head coach of Volley ASSE-LENNIK, Johan Devoghel.
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