Trento, 19 January 2020

Itas Trentino-Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia 3-1, the match report

Match report. Lorenzetti confirms the seven players who have also taken the field in Monza, preferring again Cebulj diagonally to Russell, instead of Kovacevic, the other members of the starting six are the setter Giannelli, Vettori the opposite hitter, Lisinac and Candellaro in the middle and Grebennikov the libero. Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia reaches the BLM Group Arena with Baranowicz as the setter, Aboubacar the opposite hitter, Carle and Defalco as the spikers, Mengozzi and Chinenyeze in the middle, Rizzo as the libero. At the beginning the result is balanced (5-5), the tables are turned by Grebennikov, setting the action for Russell (7-5) and firing up the homeowners. Itas Trentino increases the pace with Cebulj (9-6). The guests are not discouraged and even the score on 9-9, making the best out of one Chinenyeze’s block on Candellaro and out of one mistake of the Slovenian middle hitter. Vettori (side-out phase and break point) and Russell (block on Aboubacar) create a gap and force Cichello to ask for a time out (14-11). As the match resumes, Itas Trentino does not lose the focus, and increase the advantage (+4) with Giannell’s block on Carle reaching 16-12. It also manages to keep it well (19-15, 21-18, 24-21) and to win the first set 25-23.
The second set develops like the first, with Vibo Valentia keeping up just in the first half of the set (7-7). Candellaro and Vettori’s blocks create a gap (10-7, Cichello asks for a time out). The homeowners are unstoppable (12-9, 15-10), also because Grebennikov does not leave any ball land near him, offering his teammates many break points in a row. Tonno Callipo Calabria tries to react with some great team spirit. Cichello substitutes Carle for Ngapeth, Defalco and Chinenyeze try to turn the tables by attacking and blocking and partially manage (19-16, 20-19). Trento understands the threat and focuses more, winning the second set with Russell (25-23).
The guests react at the beginning of the third set; Itas Trentino is overwhelmed by a Tonno Callippo very efficient with blocks and in attack (0-3 and then 0-6); Lorenzetti sends on Djuric, Codarin and Sosa Sierra respectively in the places of Vettori, Lisinac and Cebulj. Mitar struggles to get in the game, while Sosa Sierra is immediately strong in attack and with blocks, giving new hope to the home team (7-11). Cichello’s time out is providential for Calabria, that starts again with Aboubacar and Ngapeth (9-16, 10-20), after a thirty-second break, also taking advantage of Itas’s breaks. The partial result is 2-1 already at 13-25, after Lorenzetti had sent back on Cebulj and Vettori.
After the severe lesson, Itas Trentino collects its thoughts and restarts forcefully (from 4-4 to 9-6) with the break points in the hands of Vettori. Cichello doesn’t interrupt the game, but his team gains ground anyway, getting to a tie at 10-10 thanks to Defalco. Itas Trentino grabs the lead back with Cebulj (15-12), but Tonno Callipo Calabria is near again with Aboubacar (17-16, time out by Lorenzetti); a block by Vettori and a slash by Cebulj (22-18) leads the team to the victory of the set: 25-21 and 3-1 for the match.

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