Trento, 02 January 2022

Itas Trentino-Sir Safety Conad Perugia 3-2, the match report

Match report. Angelo Lorenzetti confirms the line-up proposed in Milan on Thursday evening: Sbertoli as setter, Lavia as opposite, Kaziyski and Michieletto in place 4, Lisinac and Podrascanin in the middle, Zenger as libero. Sir Safety Conad has to do without to the most awaited player, the fresh former player Simone Giannelli - who showed mild flu-like symptoms in the morning, and was precautionally kept at rest, together with Ricci. In his place, Travica plays as setter, then there is room for Rychlicki in the opposite position, Leon and Plotnytskyi as hitters, Solé and Mengozzi in the middle, Colaci as libero. The start of the home team is incredible; two blocks on Leon (by Lisinac and Kaziyski) and a counterattack by the same Serbian central player immediately put the team ahead 4-0, but then they suffer a counter-partial of 1-4 inspired by the same Cuban. Two consecutive errors at the net by Rychlicki give Itas Trentino some breathing space (8-4), who then takes advantage of the Luxembourg player's empty passage (block by Podrascanin) to keep the advantage intact at mid-set (11-7). Afterwards, Trento loses intensity in attack with Kaziyski (error and block suffered by Rychlicki) and Perugia takes it back to 12. Matey redeems himself from nine metres (ace for 15-13) and Michieletto also begins to put heavy balls on the ground in rebuilds (17-14); this is the decisive moment for the assignment of the first partial, because then the house masters play faster and faster (21-17, block by Podrascanin on Plotnytskyi) towards the internal 1-0, which arrives on 25-21 (another block by Lavia on Leon).
After the change of court, Sir Safety Conad changes the way of playing, immediately attacking with Leon and Solé, who push the team ahead 2-4 and 3-7, when Lorenzetti interrupts the game. At the restart, however, the things don’t get better; the Umbrian team registers block and serve and extends the lead on 6-11. Trento loses its way but is able to stay on track (10-12, 11-13), working well between block and defense; Perugia reacts again (11-15) and this time Itas Trentino doesn't have the ability to reopen the game (15-19), despite the fact that in the end they return to play at a very good level (20-22). Solé (21-25) brings the match back to a draw.
The guests try to impose their law right from the start of the third period (2-6), with Plotnytskyi offering a concrete contribution. Itas Trentino responds immediately (6-7), taking full advantage of Michieletto's good start; the contest then becomes very balanced (10-11, 13-13). The yellow-blue team takes the lead with an Alessandro's ace (15-14, Grbic's time out), then goes to +2 with a Lavia's block on Leon (19-17). Rychlicki signs the parity with another point shot (19-19), but the locals have another sprint (22-20 and 24-21) taking advantage of too many mistakes by the guests. Sir Safety cancels three set points for Trento and takes the game to the advantages, immediately in favour of the yellow-blue team: Lavia's ball change and Lisinac's block on Plotnytskyi (26-24).
The fourth set still offers emotions and balance; Itas Trentino takes the reins of the game on 7-6 with Michieletto and Kaziyski, after having recovered a 2-4 disadvantage. The yellow-blue team become the master of the court with Lavia more and more concrete at the net (from 10-8 to 15-11). Perugia, with Anderson on court for Plotnytskyi, tries to get back on track (ace for 19-16) and reaches the minus two (21-19) thanks to a Leon counterattack. Lorenzetti interrupts the game, but when the game resumes, it's the Cuban again who makes a difference, this time from nine meters (22-23). The guests have the right sprint; the home team loses focus and Perugia can win the tie break already on 22-25.
The beginning of the fifth set is fought point to point (3-3, 6-5), then Trento, with Lisinac at hit, gets a +2 (7-5), which it manages to maintain (11-9) and, indeed, in the final even increases (14-9 and 15-11). Kaziyski closes it out.

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