Trento, 06 February 2022

Itas Trentino-Leo Shoes PerkinElmer Modena 2-3, the match report

Match report. Angelo Lorenzetti relies on the classic starting six: Sbertoli as setter, Lavia as opposite player, Kaziyski and Michieletto in place 4, Lisinac and Podrascanin at the centre, Zenger as libero. Leo Shoes PerkinElmer Modena return to play an official match after an eighteen day break and take to the court with Bruno as setter, Nimir as opposite player, Rossini as libero (the two fresh exes awarded by Trentino Volley before the kick-off), Earvin Ngapeth and Leal as hitters, Stankovic and Mazzone at the centre. The start is in the hands of Emilia; blocks by Stankovic and Leal and an ace by Nimir, who also scores with a lob, immediately put the hosts up 1-6, forcing Lorenzetti to take a time out. Itas Trentino immediately gets back on track thanks to Lavia and Kaziyski (6-7), and ties the score at 9 with a block by Podrascanin. Kaziyski scores the breakthrough (13-12, time requested by Giani), then Michieletto scores +2 (17-15) which is immediately countered by Leal (19-19). Ngapeth takes the lead again (pipe to the net for 21-19); Nimir's serve (another ace) makes it 22-22, with a break requested by the home coach. The final sprint of the first part of the match is beautiful, and is decided by a break point of Lavia (25-23).
After the change of court, it's point-to-point again with Modena immediately going ahead (2-4) with Nimir, but they're caught on 6-6 by a block by Podrascanin. Kaziyski struggles in reception and is stopped in attack by Stankovic, forcing his team to take a time out on 7-10. When the game resumes, however, Leo Shoes continues to lay down the law with Ngapeth (12-16), but Trento suddenly wakes up with Kaziyski and a great Lavia, reaching 17-17 within a few minutes. The overtaking points come from Matey and Lisinac (block on Leal, who then makes a mistake and makes it 21-19). Lavia excelles with a block on Nimir (23-20) and then seals the lead with two ball changes (25-22).
In the third set, Leo Shoes PerkinElmer starts off better (3-6), with Leal and Nimir leading the game; Mazzone's ace widens the gap (7-11), then it is the Dutchman again who hits hard from the nine-meter line (8-13), causing some problems for Itas Trentino. At 9-16 (another point shot, this time by Leal) the game is already heavily influenced; the guests just need to keep up the pace of the ball change (12-17 and 14-19) to not run too many risks, even if the entrance of Pinali and Sperotto for a few moments gives hope of a comeback (16-19). It's Ngapeth's turn (16-21) to remove the chestnuts from the fire and in fact to send the team into the fourth period, which becomes certain on 19-25.
Itas Trentino tries to get back into the game during the fourth period, getting off to a better start with Lisinac (4-3 and 6-5), but then Leal and Nimir (block on Kaziyski) quickly take the reins of the game back into Modena's hands (6-8 and 7-11). Trento has some difficulties with the reception and attack, and the Emilians take advantage of this and score many points (8-15), and then move closer to the tie break (12-19 and 13-21), despite Lorenzetti alternating his players on the court. The 2-2 tie come at 18-25, with newcomer Cavuto making a couple of spectacular attacks.
In the fifth set the guests immediately find +2 (3-5) with Ngapeth, which then becomes +3 (4-7) just before the change of court. After that, Modena accelerates again (6-10, 7-12), but Trento doesn't give up and with Michieletto goes up to minus two (11-13) and then minus one (13-14). The team from Emilia closes the score on 13-15 with the mvp Nimir, securing the 78th derby of the A22 in a sprint.

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