The challenge between EnergyTime Spike Devils Campobasso and Domotek Reggio Calabria it will be the highlight of the first of two intense days of volleyball with free entry into every match and every facility for fans. But, for volleyball lovers, there will be more than one reason of interest to see nine matches between the men’s B, B1 and women’s B2 series at work.
It will be precisely this last front that will open the dance on Friday morning at 9.30 in the Ipia Montini setting with the first semi-final that will pit Terracina, who among their ranks can count on the former Isernina player Nunzia Ragone, and the Piacenza side ‘Alseno.
At 11.30, then he will take to the field, challenging Alessandria, the Star Volley Bisceglie team with scoutman the former Isernia tactician Simone Franceschi and in the staff two former blufuchsia players such as the director from Vasto Annalisa Mileno and the central defender from L’Aquila Barbara Murri.
Of the four contenders, three are still leaders of their group, while Alseno is now in fourth position.
The women’s B1 will take place, however, in the afternoon at PalaUnimol with at 4pm the match between Concorrezzo and Imola of former Isernia trainers Nello Caliendo and Luca Zuffrianeri (head coach and assistant respectively) with team manager the former libero of Fenice Michele De Caria.
Then, at 7pm, what for many is an anticipated final between the Tuscan side of Castelfranco di Sotto headed by Marco Bracci and the Venetian team of Castelfranco with central midfielder Federica Stufi among the squad, who started the season in A1 in Bergamo .
The men’s B team, however, will begin its journey at 4pm at Ipia Montini with the match between the Tuscans of Castelfranco di Sotto and the Lombards of Scanorosciate.
The program will then see the three finals on Saturday 30 March: at 10am that of the women’s B2, at 3.30pm that of the B1 always in pink and at 6pm that of the men’s B.
A semi-final that will be at the center of the two-day Italian Cup hosted in Campobasso with the joint organization of the men’s volleyball club of the regional capital and the Molise regional committee of Federvolley.
On the last Friday of March the EnergyTime Spike Devils Campobasso face (with first service at 7pm) the second semi-final – the first will be at 4pm between the Tuscans of Castelfranco di Sotto and the Orobicini of Scanzorosciate – of the men’s Serie B draw with the prospect, for the winner, of the final on Saturday (the last of the program at PalaUnimol) with first service at 6pm.
On this occasion the rossoblù will disengage on the friendly pitch of Ipia Montini, home to their training and championship matches.
«We approach this event with all good intentions – explains the day before technician Mariano Maniscalco – because we aim to do well and we will try to do so in every way to fully honor our commitment.”
From a physical point of view, among the Campobassani the situation is very fluid with the group having worked in full in recent days, obviously with all the specifics of the case linked to the long seasonal journey.
For the two teams on the field, however, it will be a remake of last February 4th when, at the PalaCalafiore, the Reggio Calabria team – again for the Italian Cup, in the last match of the Poule C of qualifying for the Final Four of the event for the rosette tricolor – they prevailed in the tie-break after a confrontation full of a thousand emotions.
«Compared to that date, the elements entered during construction (including the Picardo center back from Isernia, also former player of the day, ed.) have been further integrated and the mechanisms have had a further run-in, which is synonymous with further improvement» , recognizes.
From a tactical point of view, in this sense, it will be fundamental «keep your attention high and be very concrete about all the fundamentals».
A component of no small importance will be that dictated by public support. «The Easter period certainly represents a variable of no small importance – recognizes Maniscalco – but I am sure that our fans will keep us, and not a little, following us.”
The prospects and objectives – adds the trainer – are those «to prove ourselves worthy of being part of this context».
Which, in some ways, will be a sort of prologue with a view to the playoffs. «The post-season – blacksmith replies – but it is so far away. Each race is linked to the temporal context in which it takes place, as for us and Reggio in these circumstances. At this moment, we know that we are close to making the playoffs, but at the moment we would do it second. April 20th with the match in Genzano will give us a clearer perspective.”
