Italy - Serie A 2008/09

    GOOOOOOO NOVARA! :D
    But seriously, I can't decide who to cheer for. Persaro w/ Furst, Feretti, Kasia, and Elke or Novara with... everyone except Barcillini. Watching Novara is almost like watching Chinese NT... something that may not be seen in a long time outisde of the Chinese professional leagues.

    Quote from Nastja

    I get your point, but knowing Pesaro, they always buy good players, which usually complete a good team. What i like about the team is that they perform as an unity usually and not just as individuals. So eventhough there are big names on the list they manage to play all together.
    This is the main difference between many italian clubs and some turkish teams.
    Last year it seemed to me that the turkish clubs invested a lot of money to get very good players but didnt think about how to involve them into a team.
    Thats why these so called 'top teams' failed in big competitions, because in the end just the team matters and not one certain player.


    As for the transfer market, i think that Jesi should play in the turkish league also because of the inability to build a great team though having the important possibilities,


    well i hope my point is clear :D


    Nastja you summed up the difference between the Serie A and the Turkish league succintly in a few paragraphs. But I guess the Coaches of the Turkish League know this too and probably will work on that in a few years time. If they won't get axed. :)

    This time it was Novara's turn to win the first two sets and then loose the match. ;(


    Semifinals, 2nd Round
    Scavolini Pesaro - Yamamay Busto Arsizio = 3-0 (25-11; 25-16; 25-16)
    Asystel Volley Novara - Foppapedretti Bergamo = 2-3 (25-23; 25-20; 21-25; 20-25; 13-15)

    Quote from samba player

    This time it was Novara's turn to win the first to sets and then loose the match. ;(


    Semifinals, 2nd Round
    Scavolini Pesaro - Yamamay Busto Arsizio = 3-0 (25-11; 25-16; 25-16)
    Asystel Volley Novara - Foppapedretti Bergamo = 2-3 (25-23; 25-20; 21-25; 20-25; 13-15)

    Kasia MVP :win: :drink:
    poor NOvara ;/ they had Bergamo on their knees and they haven't finish it :( well it's still open who will advance to final and it could be 2-0 :down:


    Anyone can support a team that is winning - it takes no courage. But to
    stand behind a team to defend a team when it is down and really needs
    you, that takes a lot of courage.

    Pesaro reached the Finals after beating Busto Arsizio for the third time. Kasia was again MVP! :cup: :cup:

    Semifinals Third Round
    Yamamay Busto Arsizio vs Scavolini Pesaro = 0-3 (22-25; 12-25; 21-25)
    Foppapedretti Bergamo vs Asystel Novara = 3-0 (25-13; 25-20; 25-20)


    Novara lost badly. :(

    Quote from samba player

    Pesaro reached the Finals after beating Busto Arsizio for the third time. Kasia was again MVP! :cup: :cup:

    Semifinals Third Round
    Yamamay Busto Arsizio vs Scavolini Pesaro = 3-0 (22-25; 12-25; 21-25)
    Foppapedretti Bergamo vs Asystel Novara = 3-0 (25-13; 25-20; 25-20)


    Novara lost badly. :(

    KASIA :drink: she was great today that tip shot from 4 m was classy :D
    poor NOvara :( hope they will win next 2 games


    Anyone can support a team that is winning - it takes no courage. But to
    stand behind a team to defend a team when it is down and really needs
    you, that takes a lot of courage.

    Quote from serdar

    which players were disappointment for you in each club in italia ? and who should be leave the team due to bad performance?

    Ognjenovic had a bad year, but mainly because of poor reception. She should stay in Jesi. As for Flier many Jesi's fans wants her to remain there. She was the only one to fight in the last match. I hope she stays there and hopefully Jesi can win another trophy (they won the first trophy this year - Challenge Cup). Zilio the libero was not in good shape.


    Barazza had not a good year in Bergamo. I think she is still having problems with injury. I don't understand why Micelli didn't put Araki more often. Hopefully Jenny will play better now in play offs.


    Yang Hao in Perugia was a little disappointment, because of her injuries and style of setting she is not accostumed to. She prefers fast game, not higher and slower balls. So not completely her fault, but Perugia's fault to not build a better team.


    In Busto Arsizio Matuszkova had a long period to adapt, but in play offs she did wonders and showed that she is a very good opposite.

    Semifinals Fourth Round


    Foppapedretti Bergamo vs Asystel Novara = 1-3 (31-33; 25-22; 23-25; 22-25)


    So Novara won the 4th match. Now they are 2-2. It was a very exciting game with Natasa Osmokrovic and Valeria Rosso (MVP) being very good for Novara.

    Kozuch played ok too compared to the last matches. :)


    I think the key to Novara's win was covering Ortolani. They limited her to just 11 points if I'm not mistaken.

    Asystel Novara vs Foppapedretti Bergamo = 3-2 (22-25; 25-19; 27-25; 19-25; 15-11)


    Wow, Novara is in final! It was a very exciting match and really heartbreaking. Paola Paggi was MVP with 20 points. :super:

    GO NOVARA!!! You can do it!!         :cup:

    what a thriller :what: amazing game , Paggi and Osmokrovic were brilliant just superb, poor performance by Kozuch and Barcellini, but WOW CArdullo hands down great performance :obey:
    PIci was doing everything but she needed some support from others wing spikers, and Ortolani was completly rubish today she made tons of mistake


    i just wonder, what is the role of Araki in this club? Arigetti and Barazza had 3 blocks all together in 5 set and their spike % wasn't too good either so why he didnot give Araki a chance?? i'm sure she would do better than those 2


    but the winner of the final can be only one-Pesaro with Kasia holding MVP award for the best player of the league :drink:


    Anyone can support a team that is winning - it takes no courage. But to
    stand behind a team to defend a team when it is down and really needs
    you, that takes a lot of courage.

    Unbelievable match. The tension was so high it looked like the players were about to explode on court at some points. :D It's amazing Asystel managed to win with Barcellini and Kozuch doing so poorly for most of the match, but Osmokrovic always seemed to find her level when it mattered. What a season it has been for her so far! And in defence and blocking Asystel clearly had the upper hand - Foppa's block was nowhere to be seen. It's a shame that Piccinini, Ortolani and Del Core never "clicked" together tonight, they took turns in performing well individually but never at the same time. And all of them made mistakes in crucial moments.


    After years and years of underperfoming Asystel has finally played to their abilities. I don't think they can trouble Scavolini.

    :obey: to Cardullo. She did some really unbelievable digs, really amazing amazing. hehe


    Osmokrovic is a great captain. She is a leader and it showed today.


    Piccinini showed a lot of types of attacks, but as Joana said all three Picci, Del Core and Ortolani played good in some parts of the match but never all together at the same time.

    Congrats to Novarra. :) But now that they are facing Pesaro in the Finals, I am with Pesaro this time :lol: .

    Paggi played very well. Bergamo team was unable to make more blocks. Bergamo's reception ratio worse than Novara. Novara & Bergamo have good attack. Osmokrovic, Ortolani, Paggi and Piccinini has reached 20 points. Also I watched the best series in Italy League this season. The two teams have shown very good performance. Therefore, the two teams would celebrate. I hope Novara team will be champion. :cup:

    Osmokrovic lost to Pesaro 1-3
    i just can't find a word that describe how amazing Natasha was today, i can write one statistic-Osmokrovic 36 points :white: :white: my god she is in fantastic form i'm already worried for POland during ECH if Natasha and POljak will play for croatia we will have biiig trouble
    Kasia :rose: very good match by my babe :lol: but today there was only one star shining on the sky-Osmokrovic


    Anyone can support a team that is winning - it takes no courage. But to
    stand behind a team to defend a team when it is down and really needs
    you, that takes a lot of courage.

    Edited once, last by mateo ().

    Final Series - First Match
    Scavolini Pesaro 3-1 Asystel Novara (26-24)(26-24)(24-26)(25-18) stats


    Osmokrovic 36 points :woohoo:


    Tihs match is excellent. There are Defense, attack in this game and very great. There was everything. I'm sorry for Novara defat this match. Two teams played very well but Pesaro's reception ratio (especially EXC%) was better than Novara's reception ratio. Congratulations for these two teams.
    GO NOVARA :cup:

    Quote from mateo


    i just can't find a word that describe how amazing Natasha was today, i can write one statistic-Osmokrovic 36 points :white: :white: my god she is in fantastic form i'm already worried for POland during ECH if Natasha and POljak will play for croatia we will have biiig trouble

    It's very, very unlikely that Osmokrovic will play, so you don't have to worry. ;)


    Osmokrovic is having an amazing season, but she's the only hitter in Asystel who's any offensive threat, Kozuch and Barcellini are useless most of the time. I just don't see Barcellini as a potentially great player.

    Osmokrovic is just great! Remember that she is 33 years old. Croatia would be very good if just Osmokrovic, Poljak, Barun, Usic and Popovic will decide to play all together.


    About Barcellini and Kozuch. Time will tell if they are champions or not. But remember that both these girls were very good in the regular season. Now is play-offs and they are young and unexperienced. It's normal that they feel the pressure.


    Also Valeria Rosso is a good player. She is a MB, but today she played as OH. Why Barbolini didn't call her for NT? I've heard that in summer she likes to play beach volley.