[THE SERVE NEWS] Special MSL pré-playoffs: Last three berths ensured

    The two largest investments in recent seasons were in danger to stay out of the Superleague playoffs. But the 'Galactic' Pinheiros / Sky, and 'Star-studded' Vôlei Futuro, done their duty late on Tuesday and assured place in the quarter-finals with one round in advance due to victories with scores 3-0.

The Medley / Campinas did his part and depended upon the result of the Londrina / Sercomtel to celebrate their berth. And the rivals of Parana collaborated when they lost 3-0 to the leader SESI São Paulo. With that, the feeling of the the first turn ends the dream of classification, and the team from São Paulo State celebrates the last playoff berth. Check out the round that have defined the last three spots:


PINHEIROS BEATS SANTO ANDRE AND AVOIDS DIRECT  DUEL WITH LONDRINA

Giba [pictured] came roaring back after stopping for ankle injury. In his second game, the outside hitter was the highest scorer of the match with 16 hits and led the victory of the Pinheiros Sky, over the Santo André Spread by 3-0 (25-17, 25-17 and 25-21). With only three partial triumph, the team led by Mauro Grasso reaches 42 points. With the convincing victory, the capital club did not even needed to wait for the defeat of the Londrina to celebrate. Even if the Paranaenses had defeated the leader Sesi, the Pinheiros would not ran anymore risks of being surpassed even in case of defeat in the last round. But the triumph of the São Paulo giants, and the setback of Londrina has avoided direct clash for the berth.




VÔLEI FUTURO SHINES IN DIRECT DUEL, ADVANCES AND KNOCK OUT SÃO BERNARDO

The Vôlei Futuro lived situation similar to of the Pinheiros. Biggest investment from the current season, the team of Araçatuba disappointed in campaigning irregularly. But on Tuesday night, the team led by the coach Cezar Douglas ensured the classification and avoided the embarrassment of being left out of the playoffs. In direct duel for a spot, the team of Ricardinho, Leandro Vissotto, Mário Júnior, Lucão and Cuban Camejo shone and won for 3-0 (25-16, 25-22 and 25-22) even playing as a visitor. With the result, went to 42 points and eliminated São Bernardo. Londrina lost and facilitated the calculations, since it can not equal the same number of points from the team of Araçatuba.



MEDLEY CAMPINAS DO THE HOMEWORK, AND IS BENEFITED WITH THE DEFEAT OF LONDRINA TO ADVANCE

The Medley Campinas had an easy mission, in front of the last placed team of the Superliga. And did not take it easy. With 14 points of the central André Heller (pictured), ​​the Campinas team made 3-0 (25-20, 25-23 and 25-19) against São Caetano / Tamoyo and headed well to the classification in its debut season. The team of the São Paulo State reached 41 points. However, if Londrina had defeated Sesi, the decision of the last spot would be only for the final round. But the leader added his 24th victory in 27 games to make 3-0 (25-20, 26-24 and 25-17). The paranaenses sums 40 points and even if they beat the Pinheiros and Campinas lose, no longer reach the Sao Paulo team in the tiebreakers criteria, the set average.




REGULAR SEASON: LAST ROUND PREVIEW


The MSL 10/11 reaches the final round of the regular season with the Top-8 teams already established. However, the latest games, this THURSDAY (17.03), fix the duels of the quarter-finals of the competition. The highlight of the 15th round return will be the rematch of last edition's final. Cimed Florianópolis (SC) and BMG / Montes Claros (MG) will duel from 21h15 at the gym Capoeirão in Florianopolis, with live broadcast of the channels Sportv and Esporte Interativo.

Besides these two teams above, have already qualified for the next knockout stages the following teams: SESI-SP, Sada Cruzeiro (MG), Vivo / Minas (MG), Pinheiros / Sky (SP), Vôlei Futuro (SP) and Medley / Campinas (SP). Of the classifieds, three will not have change their positions after the results of the last round. Sesi-SP will not lose the lead. The BMG / Montes Claros and Vivo / Minas also will keep the fourth and fifth place, respectively, and thus , they will meet each other in the quarter-finals. 

The three remaining duels are still undefined. Cimed Floriaópolis and Sada Cruzeiro fight for second and third placings. Pinheiros Sky, Vôlei Futuro Araçatuba and  Medley Campinas will compete the positions from sixth to eighth place. 

Besides the rematch of the last edition of Superliga Final, another six games move along the final round of the return, all at 21h15. Sesi-SP will go to Santo André, where will face the hosts, the Santo André / Spread (SP), at the gym Pedro Dell'Antonia. The Pinheiros / Sky will play against the Londrina / Sercomtel (PR), in the gym Moringão, in Londrina (PR). The Vivo / Minas face the Volta Redonda (RJ), at the Poliesportivo gymnasium, in Volta Redonda (RJ). Sada Cruzeiro will measure forces against Sada Fatima / Medquímica / Sogipa (RS), in the gym Sogipa, in Porto Alegre. Vôlei Futuro faces the São Caetano / Tamoyo (SP), in the gym Lauro Gomes, Sao Caetano do Sul (SP), while Medley / Campinas will play against BMG / São Bernardo (SP), at the Adib Moysés Dib, in Sao Bernardo do Campo (SP). 

BRUNINHO IS  RECOVERED AND RETURNS TO PLAY FOR CIMED IN THE LAST ROUND


The setter Bruno will be the main star of the Cimed in the game of Thursday at home against Montes Claros. He has recovered from a left ankle injury suffered on March 1, and will strengthen the team from Santa Catarina in the last round of the qualifying matches of the Superliga.

A day after an injury in the game against Londrina, Bruno made exams in Sao Paulo that indicated injuries in three ligaments, one of them suffered disruption. Since then, the setter was not playing with Cimed for three matches. 


Without Bruninho, Cimed lost 2 of 3 matches.



Sources [in Portuguese]: 
UOL
CBV