Trento, 11 March 2018

Diatec Trentino-Calzedonia Verona 3-2, the match report

Diatec Trentino three block (ph. Trabalza)

The match report. Angelo Lorenzetti’s first team for the beginning of the Play Off are the setter Giannelli, the opposite Vettori, the strikers Lanza (not at his best after a gastritis he had the night before) and Kovacevic, the middle-blockers Eder and Kozamernik and alternating in the libero role De Pandis and Chiappa. Calzedonia Verona lines up with the setter Luca Spirito, the opposite Stern, the strikers Maar and Jaeschke, the middle-blockers Birarelli and Pajenk and the libero Pesaresi.
The beginning of the match is balanced, both teams fight in the side-out phase (6-6), the break points come only with the aces, the first time with Vettori, then with Kozamernik, and finally with Stern (10-10). A block of the Slovenian opposite on his fellow countryman opponent offers the first two-points advantage to the opponents (10-12), but after some seconds Lanza makes a block that takes them to the tie (14-14). The teams are fighting for each point (17-17, 18-19) and the game is extraordinary; Giannelli’s ace on Maar (20-19) takes the team towards the victory of the first set that finishes after a block of Kovacevic on Spirito after the receiving of Pesaresi. The trial of strength continues also in the first part of the second set (5-5, 8-7), then Kozamernik and Giannelli push the team to the +3 thanks to their blocks (13-10). Grbic has already fielded Manavi for Maar and he has interrupted the game with a time-out. But the game restarts with Vettori’s and Kovacevic’s attacks (16-10); this is the decisive advantage of the match, Verona doesn’t give anything but they aren’t able to fill the gap (19-13, 22-16). Thanks to an ace of Eder there is the 2-0 on the 15-17. During the third set Verona (Grbic confirm the regular player Manavi) gets back in the game as determined as it was in the first set and keeps dominating the side-out phase (5-5, 9-10). With a score of 12-12 Calzedonia accelerates with Stern who, by reaching a break of 0-5, forces Lorenzetti to call two timeouts in a row (12-17) and to substitute Hoag for Lanza. The attempt of the yellow-blues to regain their strength arrives thanks to the Canadian’s points but also thanks to those scored by Kovacevic during the break phase (block and attack that bring up to 17-20). Nevertheless, it’s too late since the rivals continues to fight together and with two Pajenk’s aces they get back on track (18-24) and end the third set with Manavi’s attack (19-25).
Diatec Trentino manages to stand up during the fourth set doing its best to recover with its services and blocks (of Kozamernik) but Verona replies immediately with Pajenk and Jaeschke (11-13). Lanza and Kozamernik play with determination (16-15) preparing the two teams for a final set full of emotions. Calzedonia takes the lead again thanks to Jaeschke’s blocks (19-20), Trento replies with Eder (23-22). Verona regains the lead (23—24) and ends the match thanks to Spirito’s block on Kovacevic (24-26).
The tie break is a neck-and-neck fight without any pause (3-3, 6-7, 9-8, 12-12) with an irregular pace due to the teamwork and singular players like Hoag who, by signing the break point, brings to the last action which ends with Kozamernik’s block on Manavi (15-13). 

Trentino Volley Srl
Press Office