Dinamo KAZAN won 3: 0 Saugella MONZA in their arena in the first match of 8th final of the CEV Cup.

 

The host team is entering today's game with a winning series of 10 matches. The visiting Italians were also successful in the previous round of CEV Cup, of course, but in the new year they had only two losses with their new coach. The moment of truth will come today.

 

The Russians started the game in good concentration, blocking successfully and attacking powerfully - 13:7. The guests, on the contrary, first felt irresolute and often made mistakes - 18:11. Then, however, on serve by Di lulio managed to catch up and surpass - 20:22. But in the tense final the hosts were better and won the first set.

 

In the next set the Italians seemed to start showing their high-speed playing. However, powerful attacks of Fabris, unbeatable block of Koroleva and, most of all, superserve by Betania de la Cruz bore a fatal demoralization for the guests - 17:7. As a result, the second set was won by the Russians with an almost double advantage.

 

The third set was the tensest of all. The setter Katarzyna Scorupa refreshed the visiting team's playing. They scored equal for a long time - 16:15. However, the Russians, with support of their fans, managed to amplify their attack and triumphally won the first match of the 1/8 final of the CEB Cup.

 

Sergey Sikachev, assistant coach Dinamo KAZAN: “I very much pleased with the score, but there were some faults in the game: in the first set we were leading 20:13 but finished with 25:23. Anyway, many thanks to the fans who supported us at that moment. Today we won due to aggressive serves. Also we got several crazy balls in defense! However, this series is not finished yet - the main match will be in Italy.”

Irina Koroleva, player Dinamo KAZAN: “The game was good, and it is great that we have won! But I expected a bit different resistance of the Italians. Anyway, we will not relax, as the Italian team in Italy, with support of their fans - that is something different. So, i think that the second game will also be different. But we are ready for that. And today we have made the first step to victory.”
 

Carlo Parisi, head coach Saugella MONZA: “I am very upset and would like to forget this game as quickly as possible. I started working with this team just ten days ago, which added difficulties to us. We need time to get to work together. Today we played as the opponent allowed us. And D K is a strong team. But if we had won the first set, everything could have been different. Now we have to forget this game, and start from the beginning in the return match in Italy. There we will try to strengthen our serve.”

 

CEV Cup. 8th Final. First match.

Dinamo KAZAN – Saugella MONZA - 3:0 (25:23, 25:13, 25:19)

23 January. Russia. Kazan. Volleyball Center “Saint Petersburg”.

Referee: Hepp C. (Luxembourg). Match time: 1.15 (30+21+24).

Dinamo: Biryukova (10), Maryukhnich (5), Koroleva (9), Fabris (14), Statrseva – С (3), de la Cruz (13) – starting line-up, Podkopaeva (libero), Simanikhina (libero), Fedorovtseva, Kadochkina.

Saugella: Ortolani – С (11), Heyrman (5), Di Iulio (4), Danesi (6), Orthmann (5), Meijners (9) – starting line-up, Parrocchiale (libero), Costa (5), Squacini, Skorupa.

Points – 75:55, serve – 2:8, spike – 43:30, block – 9:7, reception – 39%:51%, errors – 17:21.

(Statistics by “Dinamo Kazan” coach-statistics M.Kuzovenin)