Civitanova Marche (Macerata), 01 May 2025

Cucine Lube-Itas Trentino 3-0, Play Final Match #2 report

Game 2 recap. The starting six were identical to those seen in the last two sets of Game 1 in Trento. Itas Trentino took the court in the Marche region with Sbertoli as setter, Gabi Garcia (preferred to Rychlicki) as opposite, Michieletto and Lavia as outside hitters, Kozamernik and Flavio in the middle, and Laurenzano as libero. Civitanova chose the same seven players who had just qualified for the final last Thursday: Boninfante as setter, Lagumdzija as opposite, Nikolov and Bottolo as outside, Gargiulo and Chinenyeze in the middle, and Balaso as libero. The match began on a tough note for Trentino, with Bottolo’s serving creating an early 0–3 lead. Trento quickly leveled the score at 5–5 thanks to two blocks by Flavio and Gabi Garcia. The teams then traded the lead up to 10–10, until Bottolo again made the difference with a block and two aces to make it 10–13, prompting Coach Soli to call a timeout. Once the game resumes, the spiker from Veneto breaks the tie (14-17), but then Itas Trentino reacts with Michieletto and Gabi Garcia (point serve), moving the score to 19-18. Medei calls the time out and at the resumption he finds the answer desired by his team with a winning serve by Boninfante and a counterattack by Bottolo (20-21); in the end the Marche players go full speed ahead with Bottolo, closing the set on 21-25 in their favor.
After the change of field the yellow-blue formation tries to put their back into it; on 7-7  they push their advantage with Michieletto and Lavia now reinvigorated, finding the +2 (9-7), which only lasts a little, because Civitanova ties the score at 11 and then takes the lead on 15-16, taking advantage of a net error by Gabi Garcia. Later, the white-reds still dictate the pace with Gargiulo and Bottolo (15-18 and 18-22); acceleration is what gives them the second set, closed once more on 21-25 with a set error of Sbertoli on the first set ball.
In the third set, the balance lasts until 7-8, then Cucine Lube makes way with Bottolo and Chinenyeze (8-11); Trento tries to raise their game with Michieletto (14-14). Medei spends a time out and finds a new answer from his team: Bottolo and Nikolov make the 14-17. Itas Trentino tries to react again with Gabi Garcia until 20-22, then leaves too much leeway for the opponents, who close on 22-25 with Bottolo earning them another home match (game 4).

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