Trento wins game-3 with Civitanova and moves back ahead in scudetto final

The “IlT quotidiano Arena Factor” also marked the difference in Game 3 of the Credem Banca 2025 SuperLega Scudetto Play Off Final, allowing Itas Trentino to once again put its head ahead in the series of matches with Cucine Lube that will award the men’s Italian title. In fact, this afternoon at the via Fersina facility, where it has not known defeat for nineteen official matches, the Gialloblù lineup overcame Civitanova again with a peremptory 3-0 win, regaining the lead in the confrontation and at the same time bringing itself just one step away from winning the Scudetto, which could come as early as next Wednesday at the Eurosuole Forum in the event of a new affirmation over the red-and-whites.
The Trentino team earned the first of two match balls (the second possibly in Trento, in game 5 on May 11) by putting on the court from the first exchanges great agonism and the right determination to immediately direct the match on the desired tracks. The great day of the entire attacking front (which was able to count again on Rychlicki, not surprisingly mvp and best scorer with 16 points, 74% at the net and two walls) allowed the yellow-blues to always lead the operations and to put on the plate mind-boggling numbers: 61% team share (42 out of 69) with zero errors and just four walls suffered. Cucine Lube tried to retaliate with its own weapons (service above all), but only in the first set did it hold up to the opponents’ frenzied pace, then it left the proscenium to the home team, which with Michieletto and Lavia, both scoring twelve times, sent the four thousand spectators present again today into raptures.
The chronicle of game 3. The starting six reserved only one change from those enunciated last Thursday in Civitanova Marche; in fact, in the Itas Trentino’s one there is again Rychlicki in the role of opposite in diagonal to the setter Sbertoli; Michieletto and Lavia in the band, Kozamernik and Flavio in the center, Laurenzano in the role of libero complete the starting line-up. Cucine Lube, on the other hand, restarts with Boninfante at setter, Lagumdzija at opposite, Nikolov and Bottolo at side, Gargiulo and Chinenyeze at center, Balaso at libero. The yellow-blue start is decisive (4-1) thanks precisely to the excellent impact on the match of Rychlicki, who immediately finds a wall and a winning attack. An abundant lungolinea by Lagumdzija projects the hosts to +4 (7-4), but Bottolo soon after brings the two formations back in close contact with two winning counterattacks (7-6). Trento did not disunite and restarted with Flavio (10-7) and the same Luxembourg opposite (14-11), again scoring with a block on Nikolov. Another wall, this time by Kozamernik on Chinenyeze, propitiates the new +4 (17-13, time out Medei) that lasts a moment, however, because later on the transalpine center signs the minus two (17-15). In the last part of the set Michieletto defends the lead (pipe for 21-18 and final hand out), allowing his team to close the fraction on 25-22.
The guests feel the blow and in the second part they start very contracted, missing a couple of attacks and conceding the side to the Yellow-blue breakaway attempt (4-2, 8-3) that materializes with break points by Lavia and Michieletto. Itas Trentino shoots straight up to 13-8, before suffering a lapse at the net (two consecutive red-and-white walls) immediately after Medei’s time out, who throws Loeppky into the fray for Bottolo. On 13-12 it is then Soli who interrupts the game and on resumption it is Lavia, with an ace, who widens the gap again (15-12), later also scoring on offense (18-14). Newcomer Gabi Garcia’s ace (22-16) puts a tombstone on the set with a few exchanges ahead of the 25-18 win that makes it 2-0 domestic.
In the third set the contention becomes balanced again, with the two formations taking turns in commanding operations (3-4, 9-8), before Michieletto with serve and Rychlicki on offense create the first major break (12-8). Medei also inserts Poriya in place of Nikolov, modifying the entire diagonal of place 4, and the Iranian makes himself felt as usual on serve (15-12), but it is always Trento that leads the dances, also with Sbertoli at the wall (two consecutive on Loeppky for 18-12). Civitanova doesn’t reply anymore (20-15) and Itas Trentino takes advantage to fly to a 3-0 lead that, on 25-18 gives it two Scudetto match balls.
“This afternoon the team was very determined and patient in being able to produce our volleyball, which we know is good but not perfect,” said Fabio Soli after the match – . Even today some smears and imprecision emerged, but we managed to accept them with serenity, an element that we must treasure and bring also to Civitanova for the next match if we want to break the court factor that is raging in this series. All three matches were marked by several blunders on the part of both teams, but they were always won by those who managed to deal with the problems encountered with serenity and patience. Itas Trentino from this point of view today was very efficient, as it had been in game 1; we need to keep the same spirit in Marche next Wednesday if we want to win. We know it will be a different match from today’s, we will have to suffer in all the fundamentals because Cucine Lube has a truly remarkable quality of play and can express moments of very high volleyball. However, we have the dream of bringing home the Scudetto and we will give all our energy to make it come true.”
In three days, on Wednesday, May 7, the fourth challenge of the series will be played in the Marche region, with kickoff set for 8:30 p.m.: live coverage by RAI Sport, Radio Dolomiti, DAZN and VBTV.

Below is the scoreboard of Game 3 of the Final of the Play Off Scudetto SuperLega Credem Banca 2025 played this afternoon at the ilT quotidiano Arena.

Itas Trentino-Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-0
(25-22, 25-18, 25-18)
ITAS TRENTINO: Kozamernik 5, Sbertoli 2, Michieletto 12, Flavio 3, Rychlicki 16, Lavia 12, Laurenzano (L); Gabi Garcia 1, Acquarone, Bartha 2. N.e. Bristot, Pesaresi, Pellacani, Magalini. All. Fabio Soli.
CUCINE LUBE CIVITANOVA: Bottolo 6, Chinenyeze 5, Lagumdzija 11, Nikolov 7, Gargiulo 3, Boninfante 2, Balaso (L); Poriya 1, Bisotto, Dirlic 2, Orduna, Loeppky 4. N.e. Podrascanin, Tenorio. All. Giampaolo Medei.
REBITTERS: Zanussi of Treviso and Pozzato of Bolzano.
SET DURATION: 32′, 26′, 29′; tot 1h 27′.
NOTES: 4,000 spectators, for a revenue of 65,866 euros. Itas Trentino: 8 walls, 3 aces, 16 hitting errors, 0 action errors, 61% offense, 35% (14%) reception. Cucine Lube Civitanova: 4 walls, 4 aces, 13 hitting errors, 7 action errors, 42% offense, 40% (14%) reception. Mvp Rychlicki.