Italy: after Modena, also Piacenza and Milano start post-season journeys with victories

If yesterday Modena defeats Ravenna in straight sets, today also Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza and Allianz Milano opened their respective series of the 2020/21 Italian Volleyball Championship playoffs with wins.
The no.6 in the charts Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza won Game 1 of the Preliminary Round of the Italian SuperLega Credem Banca against no.11 Kioene Padova. Led by German Georg Grozer, MVP of the match and author of 19 points including 4 aces and Frenchman Trevor Clevenot, 15 points and 64% in attack, the hosts prevailed by a 3-1 (22:25, 25:22, 25:19, 32:30). Padova, on the other hand, was hit by bad luck: Tonček Stern was unable to help his teammates due to an injury during the warm-up.
Also the post-season journey of 8th seed Allianz Milano’s began with a victory: the team coached by Roberto Piazza overcame 9th seed NBV Verona in 4 sets mostly thanks to the Frenchman Jean Patry, author of 21 points, Tine Urnaut, 16 points, and Matteo Piano, 15 points who also contributed with 4 of Milano’s 12 winning blocks (photogallery of the match here). MVP of the match setter Riccardo Sbertoli.

| 2020/21 Italian SuperLega Credem Banca playoff, preliminary round – Game 1
| February 20
• Leo Shoes Modena – Consar Ravenna 3-0 (31:29, 25:21, 25:21)

| February 21

• Allianz Milano – NBV Verona 3-1 (25:16, 25:19, 20:25, 32:30)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
Allianz Milano: Sbertoli 7, Ishikawa 9, Kozamernik 9, Patry 21, Urnaut 16, Piano 15, Staforini (L), Pesaresi (L), Daldello 0, Mosca 0, Maar 3, Weber 0. N.E. Basic, Meschiari. Coach. Piazza.
NBV Verona: Spirito 4, Kaziyski 22, Aguenier 14, Jensen 1, Jaeschke 15, Caneschi 6, Donati (L), Asparuhov 6, Bonami (L). N.E. Zanotti, Peslac, Kimerov, Magalini. Coach. Stoytchev.

• Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza – Kioene Padova 3-1 (22:25, 25:22, 25:19, 32:30)
Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza: Baranowicz 1, Clevenot 15, Polo 6, Grozer 19, Russell 15, Mousavi 4, Fanuli (L), Scanferla (L), Botto 0, Antonov 2, Izzo 0, Tondo 0, Candellaro 5. N.E. Coach. Bernardi.
Kioene Padova: Tusch 1, Wlodarczyk 12, Vitelli 5, Stern 0, Bottolo 21, Volpato 0, Gottardo (L), Danani La Fuente (L), Casaro 10, Canella 4, Ferrato 1, Milan 6. N.E. Fusaro, Merlo. Coach. Cuttini.