Trento, 14 April 2024
Play Off, another fatal tie break against Monza at the ilT quotidiano Arena in game 5
The defence of the Scudetto it wears on its jerseys ended one step away from qualifying for its possible tenth Play Off Final ever for Itas Trentino. Sunday evening at the ilT quotidiano Arena, the Italian Champions had to surrender at the tie break to Mint Vero Volley Monza in the fifth and decisive match of the Semifinal Series. By defeating Trento in the fifth set for the second time in seven days, Monza completed the comeback that began the previous Sunday and secured the pass for the tricolour challenge against Perugia, which will start on Thursday, April 18 in Umbria.
The yellow-blue team’s run in the table, which left to the applause of the 3,300 spectators present in the via Fersina facility, will now continue with the Final for third place against Milan, which will begin on Wednesday, again at the ilT quotidiano Arena, and which will assign qualification for the next Champions League to the winner of the series at the best of five games. A confrontation that will prepare Soli's team for the most eagerly awaited appointment of the entire club season: the SuperFinals of the 2024 CEV Champions League, scheduled in Antalya (Turkey) on May 5 against the Poles of Jastrzebski Wegiel.
Sunday’s match mirrored in every way the many sudden reversals of fortunes that the two teams have played over the past two weeks. With block and attack, the guests were able to make a better impact on the match, immediately going 0-2. With pride and heart at first, and then with an increasingly convincing game, made more effective by Rychlicki's great scoring streak (in the end 31 personal points with 66% in attack and two blocks), Trentino Volley managed to climb the slope up to the tie-break. The final set saw Trento lead as far as 10-9 before suffering a comeback and being overtaken by the opponents. Takahashi (the match's MVP) closed out the match at the fourth try and eliminated Soli's team, which could count on a great Kozamernik (13 points with seven blocks, two aces, and 80% in attack) throughout the match, and also saw Riccardo Sbertoli return to the court, albeit only for a few minutes in the second line.
Below is the scoreboard of game 5 of the SuperLega Credem Banca 2024 Play Off Scudetto Semifinal played Sunday at Trento's ilT quotidiano Arena.
Itas Trentino-Mint Vero Volley Monza 2-3
(18-25, 22-25, 23-25, 26-24, 15-17)
ITAS TRENTINO: Lavia 15, Kozamernik 13, Rychlicki 31, Michieletto 17, Podrascanin 7, Acquarone, Laurenzano (L); Sbertoli, Nelli, Garcia, Pace (L). N.e. D’Heer, Cavuto, Magalini. Coach: Fabio Soli.
MINT VERO VOLLEY: Galassi 14, Kreling 3, Takahashi 19, Di Martino 9, Loeppky 23, Maar 23, Gaggini (L); Visic, Szwarc 1. N.e. Comparoni, Mujanovic, Morazzini, Beretta. Coach: Massimo Eccheli.
REFEREES: Zavater and Cesare from Rome.
SET LENGTH: 28’, 30’, 32’, 37’, 23’; tot: 2h and 30’.
NOTES: 3,291 spectators, total revenue: € 42,327. Itas Trentino: 11 blocks, 5 aces, 18 serve errors, 2 action errors, 46% attack, 51% (25%) reception. Mint Vero Volley: 7 blocks, 4 aces, 17 serve errors, 6 action errors, 50% attack, 53% (19%) reception. MVP: Takahashi.
Trentino Volley Srl
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