Allianz Milano did not meet much resistance and decisively defeated Grotazzolina 3-0 in the postponed match from the sixth round of the SuperLega – 25:17, 25:18, 25:21. The hosts controlled the game from the first to the last ball and recorded their third consecutive victory in the championship.
The guests managed to stay close to Milano only until 10:9 in the first two sets, after which the higher class of Roberto Piazza's team exerted decisive pressure. In the third set, the substitution of Falaschi with Marchiani briefly revitalized Marco Ortenzi's team (reducing the deficit from 18:12 to 20:19), but a comeback never materialized.
Ferre Reggers was once again unstoppable – 20 points and further proof of why he leads among the top scorers in the SuperLega.
Joining him in productivity for Milano were Recine (11) and Otsuka (10), while setter Fernando Kreuling deservedly received the MVP award.
In Grotta's squad, Bulgarian outside hitter Georgi Tatarov remained unused (he might be injured, editor's note), while Ilia Petkov played all three sets but registered modest statistics – 2 points, -3 efficiency rating, 5 attacks with one error and 40% success rate.
The top scorers for the guests were Golzadeh and Magalini with 13 points each.
Despite attempts to change the rhythm and scheme, Ortenzi again failed to find a working formula. This is their sixth consecutive match without a win, and Grotazzolina's play remains far from competitive in the elite. The team now has only 1 point and is firmly last.
Grotazzolina appears dangerously "anchored" at the bottom. If they don't drastically change their performance in the coming weeks, after their second season in the SuperLega, they might bid farewell to their place in the elite. Milano, on the contrary, is gaining momentum and confidently looking towards the upper half of the table.
photos: legavolley.it
