Trento, 13 April 2023

Itas Trentino-Gas Sales Bluenergy 3-0, match #1 report

Report of match 1. After eighteen days of waiting, Itas Trentino is back in front of the BLM Group Arena audience with a standard sextet: Sbertoli serving and Kaziyski opposite, Michieletto and Lavia hitters, Lisinac and Podrascanin middle-blockers and Laurenzano  libero. Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza responded with Brizard serving, Romanò opposite, Leal and Lucarelli hitters, Simon and Caneschi middle-blockers, Scanferla libero. It started off with a fast pace: Simon tackled Michieletto (2-3), but then Lucarelli hit a pipe (5-4) before another block, this time by Caneschi on Lisinac, and a rebuilt ball by Romanò gave the hosts the lead (5-7). The red-and-whites hold on to a +2 lead until 9-11 and then extend it even further with Lucarelli (Lorenzetti time out); Lisinac blocks Simon and revives the yellow-blue hopes (12-13), but a Kaziyski error immediately afterwards widens the gap again (12-15). Piacenza doesn't concede anything more until 16-19, on the strength of a very precise and efficient sideout phase, then sees the locals close in again (19-20), who find the tie with an error by Leal at 22. The end was beautiful; Trento put the arrow with Lavia (24-23, time out Botti) and closed the accounts at the first opportunity with an attack out of the former Lucarelli.
Gas Sales Bluenergy tried to fight back at the start of the second half (4-6), but first Lavia and then Michieletto allowed Itas Trentino to even the score at 6:00 and then to move ahead (10-8 and 11-9). Piacenza immediately responded with Leal (12-12), but the hosts scratched again with Kaziyski (15-13); it wasn't enough because Simon and Romanò were unleashed at the break, again giving the hosts the lead (16-17, time out Lorenzetti). When play resumed it was time for Podrascanin (Simon's block) to take control of the situation (18-18), then Kaziyski took over with an ace that gave them a new +2 (20-18). The guests get nervous, make mistakes in attack and in reception with Leal, and Trento flies to +4 (23-19), then confirming the lead until 25-22 (pipe by Michieletto).
On the wave of enthusiasm for the 2-0 lead, Itas Trentino also started off strong in the third set (4-2 and 7-2), when Leal got into trouble at the net and was replaced by Basic. Lavia was unstoppable (9-4) and Trento stretched and then expanded (14-6), keeping their opponents at arm's length thanks to another block (17-9). Michieletto and Lisinac, unleashed at the block (21-11 and 25-18), finished off the masterful performance.

Trentino Volley Srl
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