Superleague, Trento beats Padua in advance

Superleague, Trento beats Padua in the

advance

The men’s Itas Trentino takes a month-long farewell from its public (it will only re-embrace it on Dec. 26, on boxing day with Milan) in the best possible way. In fact, the third home victory in the space of a week, obtained this evening against Padova in the advance of the 11th round of the regular season, allowed the Champions of Europe to jump momentarily to the top of the SuperLega Credem Banca standings.
The leader Perugia è was bypassed by two points, taking advantage of the possibilityà to play ten days before their opponents this engagement; waiting for the Umbrians to play their match on December 8 (when the gialloblù will already be; in Brazil to start the 2024 Club World Cup there shortly) Fabio Soli’s team fully played its part again this evening, imposing its law on a Sonepar team that nevertheless put up a good resistance in a hard-fought and entertaining 3-1 final. The twelfth success of the season in fourteen matches è came by means of two very good fractions, the first and the last won with identical 25-19 score, and the point-to-point struggle enacted with the opponents between the second and third parts. To get Padua right, therefore, it took determination and cold blood (as happened in the third period), containing the Masulovic-Porro pair (35 points in two) better and better, and then making the most of yet another excellent night by the trio Michieletto (21 realizations), Lavia (16) and Rychlicki (21), all scoring with percentages above 50% in attack. The opposite player got the mvp award because he also added four personal walls (as many as those put on the floor by Flavio) and a direct ace, in an evening that was not always a happy one for the Gialloblù.
Match report. Itas Trentino has to do without Kozamernik (who will no longer be among the available players for at least a month due to a cervical hernia); in the starting six, therefore, there is still room for young Pellacani, who plays diagonally in the middle with Flavio, along with Sbertoli at the setter, Rychlicki opposite, Michieletto and Lavia at the setter and Laurenzano at libero. Coach Cuttini’s proposed Sonepar on the court features Falaschi at director, Masulovic opposite, Porro and Sedlacek at setter, Crosato and Plak at center and Diez at libero. The gialloblù ès start was a bit contracted: two attacks out (Flavio and Michieletto) allowed Padua to immediately take over the reins of the game (5-7), but Lavia (on the ball immediately at the net) quickly tied the score at 8. Sonepar later returns the favor, sending out in quick sequence dunks by Masulovic, Porro and Sedlacek for 12-9, which advises the host coach to stop the game, although at the resumption it is always the gialloblù who are the big voice (15-11 with Rychlicki and 17-12 with Michieletto). After the second Patavino timeout, the locals travel confidently to win the first set (20-14 and 23-16) thanks also to a truly remarkable defensive consistency. The 1-0 lead comes at 25-19, without the hosts ever having to suffer too much.
Padua reared its head again in the second set, finding good continuity in the ball changeover (5-5 and 8-8) and, later, also the right weapons to try to run away again (9-11, Masulovic and Sedlacek scored). Soli calls time out, but after a few minutes è forced to spend even a second one becauseé meanwhile the Venetian high ball trio è scored again on break point (11-15). Rychlicki (attack and ace) gets on the opponents’ trail (17-18), but è with Lavia (another point serve) that Itas Trentino finds parity at 21. It goes to the sprint (23-23) and to decide è another ace, this time by Masulovic on Laurenzano, which materializes the first guest chance (23-25).
The hosts try to restart after the change of court (5-3 with Rychlicki’s signature), but Padua after Cuttini’s time out squares a 0-3 partial as a result of the wall (5-6) and gets right back into the game. It is then up to Michieletto (ace and winning pipe) to bring a new tear (10-8) that Sonepar also in this case quickly sews up thanks to the excellent work at the net of Masulovic (12-12). The game is played for a long time on point-to-point (16-16 and 18-18), then an ace by Pellacani and a wall by Flavio on the same left-handed opposite player produce a new internal +2 (21-19), which Trento this time preserves until 25-23 (attack by Michieletto).
In the fourth set it is again Michieletto who soon gives a minimal lead (7-5); soon after Soli has Bartha (inside instead of Pellacani) test the court and Trento revs up the engine (12-8) also thanks to a great wall by Flavio. Padua became disunited and lent its side to the Gialloblù, who didn’t let themselves be begged to hoard break point after break point (18-13) and close the account on 3-1 with the final 25-19 (Michieletto’s ace).
“Padova è a team that historically proves to be very combative and showed it again tonight, but we put in good things to deserve the final result that è definitely one of the best aspects – said Itas Trentino coach Fabio Soli at the end of the match – . We knew that we could suffer in some game situations, such as on their floating serve and, more generally, in the ball changeover phase where we still have to grow. Otherwise, I find that we were very skillful in keeping the opponent away, especially in the last set, after two extremely hard-fought partials. I also found very positive the team’s ability to know how to stay in difficulties, at a time when we are recovering a player like Bartha and another è under the knife. To Kozamernik goes our biggest hug for a quick return to the group. This team has the ability’ and the virtue of being able to come together to overcome problems and always do it with great serenity, as we did today and in last Sunday’s game against Monza”.
On Sunday, Itas Trentino will conclude its regular season SuperLega Credem Banca 2024/25 round by visiting Cucine Lube Civitanova in the big match of the tenth round. The European Champions will start preparing for the fixture starting Friday morning, after enjoying a day off.

Below is the scoreboard of the’advance of the 11th day of the regular season of SuperLega Credem Banca 2024/25 played this evening at the ilT quotidiano Arena in Trento.

Itas Trentino-Sonepar Padova 3-1
(25-19, 23-25, 25-23, 25-19)
ITAS TRENTINO: Pellacani 5, Sbertoli, Lavia 16, Flavio 9, Rychlicki 21, Michieletto 21, Laurenzano (L); Gabi Garcia, Bartha 1, Acquarone. N.e. Bristot, Pesaresi, Magalini and Sandu. All. Fabio Soli.
SONEPAR: Falaschi, Porro 18, Plak 12, Masulovic 18, Sedlacek 3, Crosato 6, Diez (L); Stefani, Pedron, Orioli 5. N.e. Mayo Liberman, Toscani, Galiazzo, Truocchio. All Jacopo Cuttini.
REBITTERS: Goitre of Turin and Piana of Carpi (Mo).
SET DURATION: 27’, 29’, 30’ tot 1h ’.
NOTES: 2,838 spectators, for a box office of 16,353. Itas Trentino: 10 walls, 5 aces, 17 hitting errors, 5 action errors, 51% offense, 59% (22%) reception. Sonepar: 8 walls, 3 aces, 18 hitting errors, 6 action errors, 49% offense, 49% (15%) reception. Mvp Rychlicki.