Italy: Playoff quarterfinals start with Monza’s win over Vibo Valentia

The curtain of the playoff stage of the 2020/21 Italian Superlega Credem Banca is raised, with Vero Volley Monza that wins game 1 on their home soil against Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia.
Apparently, this should be the most balanced challenge of the playoffs, and the home team, who closed the regular season in 4th place, is celebrating but not without some problems, due to the discontinuity in reception (16 aces for 5th-seed Vibo Valentia) and in attack.
With one exception: turkish opposite Adis Lagumdzija who, with 27 points, was deservedly awarded MVP of the match. Thomas Beretta set up 5 blocks (of the 10 for Monza), Czech Donovan Džavoronok served 4 aces, while Gianluca Galassi made 77% attack (10/13).
Frenchman Thibault Rossard and American Torey James DeFalco notched 19 points each on the other side of the net.
Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, at 3.45 pm, in Vibo Valentia.

| Play Off SuperLega Credem Banca
| Quarterfinals Game 1
| March 9, 2021

• Vero Volley Monza – Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia 3-1 (25:20, 25:22, 24:26, 25:22)
Vero Volley Monza: Orduna 0, Dzavoronok 13, Beretta 11, Lagumdzija 27, Lanza 13, Galassi 10, Brunetti (L), Holt 0, Davyskiba 1, Federici (L). N.E. Poreba, Ramirez Pita, Falgari, Calligaro. Coach. Eccheli.
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia: Saitta 1, Rossard 19, Chinenyeze 7, Drame Neto 10, Defalco 19, Cester 7, Sardanelli (L), Gargiulo 3, Rizzo (L), Almeida Cardoso 0, Dirlic 4. N.E. Chakravorti, Corrado. Coach. Baldovin.

| March 10
• Sir Safety Conad Perugia-Allianz Milano 2-3 (25:18, 25:21, 25:27, 31:33, 17:19)
• Itas Trentino – Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza 3-2 (25:18, 23:25, 22:25, 25:20, 15:8)

| March 14
• Cucine Lube Civitanova-Leo Shoes Modena