casamodena TOP 1000

I know raylight, mine was just an example of a combination of skillful and powerful server :)

Good talented player. I didn't see the match, but as I can see many aces but also many reception's positioning,evaluation,cooperation and agreement technical mistakes. On these levels you can't afford a player who don't serves bombs like Juantorena to make so many points. This gives him also more confidence which cause him becoming unstoppable, as it happened,

@Kjeldhor,raylight I totally agree with both of you.
@Kk15 Martino entered on the 1st set for Kooy because simply can't do worse. Good match in reception as well as serve, but much less in attack ( the onliest points were on impossible hits with solid triple block with the ball coming from the far back XD). He played about 4 sets overall, making nearly 3 kills on block in a row during the 1st-2nd set ( who were his onliest points for the majority of the match).
@Kjeldhor See you on Saturday ? , hope to see a match worthy of the last semifinals ( including the result ?).. PS The sports hall will be the same hell ?
@Kk15 Me too I'm curious about Zaytsev: did he throw other 7 "scaldabagni" or "lavatrici", as used to say by Rai's commentator? I'm sure he won the game by himself with such serves!
For non-italian speaking people, just to understand my last sentence, the words I put into " " are common very heavy household appliances to emphasize the strongness of the hits (In italy is a very used volleyball's way of saying)

Yeah Kk15 we haven't. On today we literally come back on the Earth =)
A suffered and in my opinion undeserved victory against a weaker team in a good-shape day ( thinking we were even 21-24, on the score of 1-2). Good game only for Yosifov, for others to be deleted soon. Kooy from 81% to 18% within a match, Anderson only two terrifying pipes to note and Dennis with much ups and downs. For Padova a very inspired Simeonov, impressive defense and counter attack %es and a super Gonzalez! 11 points for a setter are monstrous! (5 aces and 4 blocks for him)

Very nice movie, much appreciated. Certainly one of the world's most complete blockers of modern volleyball, if not THE best.

CMC Ravenna 1-3 Marmi Lanza Verona (21-25,25-22,21-25,23-25)
A nice battle, but finally the most experienced team won.
How strange is that in Ravenna's team nobody between Quiroga,Gruszka and Verhanneman isn't still a team leader. Sad to see such a crowd cheering for the whole game for losing again at home..

Indeed, Raylight =)

@Zyta I understand your disappointment at all. In Italy we all are used to stand our broadcaster Rai's strange (nonsense) programme schedule. What you reported is however nothing special. I remember long matches on 2-2 score that were suddenly interrupted for showing something like table tennis or other uncommon minor sports.
They also have two sports channels: most of the time they both show the same (recorded) things (the only difference is one channel is delayed of 1 hour)..
So be ready for anything by them! ?

Trentino - Macerata 2-3 (25-17, 22-25, 21-25, 25-21, 12-15)
Very good match by Lube.. but would it really end this way if Trento would get more rest days? I don't think so. With quite less reception mistakes the match would have been different.
Yes, Lube and Modena had an impressive seasonal start and Trento is the usual league's team-to-beat that all us know.
Some surprises at the top.. but at the bottom? Rome? Piacenza? Difficult to expect a worst beginning...

@raylight Yosifov's no more injured. On tonight he played (very good) the whole game.

I'm by myself amazed about Modena's performances.. another 3-0, 12 won sets only 1 lost, Dick Kooy best spiker of serie A with 68% attack average (tonight another terrific 81% on 16 attempts, 75% reception, 4 aces), and Anderson 3rd with 57% .. Who would have it ever thought? Yeah, we didn't face top teams till now, and Piacenza had serious lineup problems in this match, but I did not see my team playing like this since last season's semifinals vs Trentino or last scudetto in 2002. Keep me calm as I can wait no more for the 29th to come for the match vs Trento.. none of our matches was broadcasted, but trust me, it will be very hard for them to win.. sure it will be an exciting battle on each point.
And in any case, let the best win ..whatever happens volleyball makes you feel unique emotions and that's the why (in my opinion) it is the best sport of the world!

Wout suffered a twisted ankle by landing from spike over Coscione's feet who was on block.

Fanclubs usually are built by people who think a certain player is the best to them, and other people join together because they feel this aswell.
Usually users who don't think (or disagree at all) with these ideas are not obliged to post them on here.
@Rachel I totally agree with you! Bruno and Lucas plays are simply exiting!

Like to say "Athletes, your careers are finished!" @zver You need to save A LOT money for that (but surely you'll have fun).

@ Kk15 Are you referring to Passier? The reason because he's allowed to play from the first round is that every team must submit to Lega their rosters, and If a team hasn't completed yet the full "basic" of 13 players (2 setters,4 spikers, 2 opposites, 3 MBs, and 2 liberos), Lega gives to the team some (limited) "bonus time" in order to complete it, without penalties. I remember (tell me if I'm wrong) that M.Roma had only 2MBs before the 15th of July. For Trento, the matter is different, because Brinkman was a free player, and hiring free players - or players coming from finished championships- is permitted by the regulation at any time during the season (as Modena did with Bruno).
Kk15 I was afraid you wanted to ask me about the match (I'm kidding of course) =)

@Kk15,Akolita. Yes, Cester will play in Latina, I think from the 4th round (it may vary cause different reasons from player to player). In Italy the transfer session ends in a precise day (this year, July the 15th) . During the 3-4 days before that day,all players' agents and team managers find themselves in a location decided by Lega Pallavolo (usually a prestigious hotel meeting room), to define the last details of the transfer session. Then, all teams communicate to Lega their official rosters and just after a computer generates the schedule for the regular season. From this moment onward, any change related to the team/managment/roster field to what teams told before to Lega leads to sanctions for players (like Martino, Paparoni and so on, who can't play for some rounds of the championship) and/or fines for the clubs. Hope I've been quite clear and have answered your questions. Otherwise, freely ask me ?

Italy: a very good match.
Serbia: a very good match + very concrete in decisive moments.
That's the difference.

@Someone I totally agree with you. Of course adrenalin affects very much players' behaviour during a match, especially if you are playing a semifinal on the score of 14-13 in the 5th, and the referee hasn't seen a touch by the block. But like you I think that loyalty is more important than every sportsrule by itself. They are professionals and in my opinion they should also be an example for everyone, so I personally can't stand attitudes like yesterdays'.

Referees made for sure a terrible mistake in such moment of the match (13-14). It is quite surprising and annoying it was made by very experienced referees as Hobor and Lodderus are. Honestly the touch by serbian block (M.Nikic) was just noticeable in the slow-motion replay because the ball passed through the arms (without touching them) but brushed the head of Nikic. No idea if there were any sound because of the block, but russians were cheering so probably they heard something. In any case compliments to serbian performance, but NOT for their fair play.

Thanks for your comments. This shows once more you are very fair-play competent sportspeople. But I think It's not all Kurek's fault. Zygadlo set him too little (and difficult) balls to attack. Kurek is a fighter, and also the best player in nt, you cannot afford him to get out of the game, nearly from the beginning. The worst for me wasn't Bartosz. Italy simply played at their best since Berruto is the coach. Now let's wait to know the other finalist.
P.S. On tomorrow I'll cheer for Poland,too! ?