Monza sees semifinal: Civitanova still knocked out
MINT Vero Volley Monza – Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-1 (24-26; 25-18; 25-21; 25-20)
MINT Vero Volleyball Monza also conquers the second match of the Quarterfinal Playoffs 2023/2024. The brianzola team overcame 3-1 (24-26; 25-18; 25-21; 25-20) the vice-champions of’Italy of Cucine Lube Civitanova, in a Opiquad Arena packed with nearly 3,000 supporters to push the brianzoli to 2-0 in the series.
The team coached by coach Massimo Eccheli once again showcased the best of its game, combining great solidity at the wall with a precise and powerful service (as many as 10 ace at the end of the match). An almost one-sided match that, apart from a first partial lost only in the advantages, saw Monza winning with authority the next three sets.
Monza’s sextet for this Race-2 è consisting of Kreling-Szwarc for the setter-opponent diagonal, centerbacks Galassi and Di Martino, the pair Takahashi-Loeppky as setters and Gaggini libero.
It's Di Martino, with a powerful monster block on Nikolov’s attack, who opened the match for MINT Vero Volley Monza (2-2). Kreling è inspired at the direction in this start of the match, distributing millimetric risers for his teammates (5-5). The first lead of the match in favor of the Brianzoli è thanks to Loeppky's ace (6-5). A hard-fought match, with both teams battling it out and neither able to take the lead (13-13). Monza plays brilliantly, taking full advantage of the verve of the Takahashi-Loeppky bands, best served by Kreling, also author of the ace that gives the Brianzoli the first break (18-16). Blengini chooses to spend the first time-out of the match; a move that pays off, as the guests manage to immediately impact and overtake (18-19). Eccheli calls a counter time-out and Monza goes back ahead thanks to Takahashi's ace (20-19). The result è uncertain until the last (23-23), with the guests earning the first set-point. Monza cancels, Maar enters on serve, but Blengini spends the second time-out right before the serve. MINT struggles, but è Civitanova to come out on top 24-26.
The Marches also push at the beginning of the second partial, signing the break (1-3) that induces Eccheli to the technical suspension. Monza does not flinch, sews up the disadvantage and puts the arrow to overtake on 5-4, after a beautiful diagonal by Takahashi. Galassi signs his first personal ace (7-5); Civitanova does not stand idly by and tries to get back into the game, but Monza immediately stops any hopes thanks to an excellent wall-defense correlation, which allows the Lombards to take a +3 lead (12-9) before Blengini’s time-out. MINT re-enters the court and continues to hammer on serve, offering a commendable team effort and operating the breakaway (15-9) that forces Civitanova to take refuge in another time-out. The Brianzoli, are good at controlling the'trend of the match maintaining the six length advantage (21-15). The set è now in the safe, and was closed on 25-18 by Szwarc’s diagonal.
The partial opened along the same lines as the previous one, with Civitanova arrembante but Monza good at equalizing with Szwarc's ace (3-3). The cucinieri, however, keep pushing and find the break (6-9): time-out Eccheli. MINT shows all its maturity coming out of the technical suspension, finding vitality in attack with Takahashi and a well-deserved tie with Kreling's ace (9-9), before Blengini’s counter time-out. The great push on the serve è the secret of this Vero Volley, splendid from the nine-meter line today, putting in great difficulty both the reception and the development of the offensive phase for the Marche (15-14). Monza keeps the point lead (18-17) and coach Blengini chooses to stop the game by calling the thirty-second suspension. MINT finds the break on 21-19, after a splendid diagonal of Maar and goes on to win the third game as well, with Galassi's ace: 2-1 (25-21).
Balance reigns supreme during the first exchanges of the fourth set, where both teams respond blow by blow to each other’s attacks (6-5). Serving, as in the previous halves, proves decisive for MINT, which scores the break (11-9) with Szwarc's ace (second personal in this match). Also noteworthy is the great contribution of Maar, who, who entered the match in progress, makes his mark in this set with a power diagonal and the +3 ace (13-10) that prompts a time-out for the team bench. The guests draw Lagumdzija's ace and go back under in the score (15-14): time-out Eccheli. Once again the Brianzoli come out compact from the 30-second time-out, push back and regain +3 (17-14) with Di Martino’s monster block. Civitanova chooses to call the second time-out as well, but Vero Volleyball keeps flying with two big monster blocks by Di Martino and Maar: +5 (19-14). Lube does not intend to give up without a fight, attempting a comeback immediately thwarted by Takahashi’s pipe (22-18). Maar finds the ace at the right time and gives Monza the first match point (24-18). Civitanova nullifies two match points, but MINT closes the set (25-20) and also wins Race-2!
MVP of the match Ran Takahashi, scorer of 18 points and a test of great substance in all the fundamentals of the game. Behind him, in the MINT top scorer standings, Szwarc with 14 points, inside an excellent choral test of the whole Brianza team.
Now a few days of rest and training for the MINT Vero Volley Monza; the next appointment, in fact, è set for the third day of the Quarterfinals of SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024, Sunday, March 17 at 6 p.m. all'Eurosuole Forum in Civitanova.
"It’ was important to have won Race-2 as well – stressed Marco Gaggini to the official channels of the Brianza club – As in the first match, tonight’ was a good challenge, we fought in all sets on every ball but it’ is not over yet becauseé now we are expecting another battle".
