Trento, 10 November 2024

Itas Trentino-Rana Verona 3-1, the match report

The match report. Itas Trentino returns in front of his home public (over 3,200 participations at ilT quotidiano Arena) with Sbertoli as setter, Gabi Garcia as opposite spiker, Michieletto and Lavia as hitter spikers, Kozamernik and Flavio Gualberto as middle blockers, Laurenzano as libero. The Rana Verona team responds with Abaev as setter, Keita as opposite spiker, Dzavoronok and Mozic as hitter spikers, Vitelli and Cortesia as central blockers and D’Amico as libero. The start of the home team is determined; thanks to Michieletto’s service, gialloblù find very quickly an important break (from 3-3 to 6-3) completed by Kozamernik in the attack.  Stoytchev uses a time out immediately and during the upswing, Keita ties (6-6); a block by Vitelli over Flavio offers the first advantage for the guest team (7-8) that becomes double when Cortesia takes advantage during the first half (10-12). Now, it is Soli’s turn to interrupt the game, but later it is always Verona calling the shots with Keita (11-15 and 13-18), taking advantage of the home team's difficulties in attack. The European Champions' coach then switches Gabi Garcia with Rychlicki, but it is Michieletto who tries to hinder the opponents with a pipe (16-19). It's only a brief gasp, because then the Rana Verona team strikes again with Vitelli (ace 16-21) and ends the game already on 20-25 (spike by Keita).
After the change of field, the face of Itas Trentino also changes: Soli confirms Rychlicki among the starters, and his team has a blazing start (3-1 and 7-2), led by Lavia's plays in attack and serve. Verona does not give up and gradually recovers ground with the usual Keita (9-7) and also with Cortesia (12-11); Abaev's ace on Michieletto makes it 13-13, then Mozic's block on his compatriot Kozamernik allows the Veronese to overtake (14-15). Trento does not give up and takes the lead again at 18-17 thanks to a net error by Mozic himself and then flies to +2 (20-18) with a splendid ace by Lavia at the junction of the lines in position 1, validated also by the video check. La Rana evens the score a minute later with Keita (20-20), pushing the set towards a final sprint (23-23); in the advantage phase, the hosts win with Rychlicki capitalizing on the third opportunity, at 27-25.
The third set continues with a point-by-point battle (4-4 and 8-8) featuring Mozic and Michieletto; Itas accelerates with another ace from Lavia (11-9), but Mozic responds shortly after to level it at 13-13. Rychlicki then builds a new advantage at 19-15, putting away a stray ball and two more from position 4. This proves decisive, as Kozamernik secures the +4 lead (23-19) with a block and an attack and also executes the block that clinches the set at 2-1, at 25-20.
La Rana, with Spirito stepping in for Abaev, tries to make a comeback at the start of the fourth set with Keita (5-7), but Itas Trentino catches up quickly (8-8) and then takes the lead with a great block from Kozamernik (13-11). Stoytchev calls a timeout, and after a few moments, Mozic levels the score again at 16. An error by Keita from position 2 gives the home team a new +2 lead (18-16); Verona gets nervous, makes many serving errors (21-19), and Trento takes advantage to pull away for good (23-20 and 25-22).

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