The Bianconeri of Volleyball Padova stop in Modena and lose in four sets in the match against the team led by coach Giuliani. The hosts, in fact, reacted after the two defeats in the play-off group for fifth place (first with Piacenza and then with Verona), also on the emotional wave of the last home match with captain Bruno. For the match against the yellow and blue, which ended with 3-1, the Paduans showed up on the pitch with Porro, Truocchio, Zoppellari, Gardini, Plak, Guzzo, Taniguchi (L). Gardini was the best scorer with 11 points (42% attack) for Padova, while for Modena Davyskiba with 22 points (79% attack).
With this evening’s match at the PalaPanini, the SuperLega 2023_24 season ends for Pallavolo Padova, a season which has seen intense phases and more relaxed periods, made up of victories and defeats, but above all of an objective of salvation achieved well in advance, thanks to the work of every single Juventus athlete and our staff.
Coach Cuttini. “Even in this evening’s match, as in the other playoffs, we experimented with a completely new team structure. I’m particularly happy today because we gave Taniguchi the opportunity to play as a starter in the libero role. It was a very demanding test for him, but I was impressed by the way he dealt with the difficulties he encountered. We tried to change the configuration a little between the second and third sets, and I was satisfied with the boys’ response who entered the field. Each of them gave their maximum effort. In the fourth set, unfortunately, we were not able to compete at the necessary level, but the main objective of this playoff round was to get all the guys on the team to play and give them responsibility. And we fully succeeded in this.”
THE CHALLENGE
First set. After the tribute from the PalaPanini crowd to the Modenese captain Bruno, in the latter’s last home match with the yellow and blue colours, the first part begins in the name of a certain balance between the two teams on the pitch (at 2-3, Plak’s point from the center; 5-5, ace by Guzzo). The game continues point by point until the home team breaks at 11-8, with a point attack from Davyskiba. In the following moments the team led by coach Giuliani begins to score points and, at 13-8, the Juventus coach uses a time out to try to break the rhythm. Padova remains in the game and, with Zoppellari’s ace at 13-11, manages to get within two of the home team, so much so that coach Giuliani deems it appropriate to ask for a time out. The set continues, however, with Modena still ahead (19-16), despite there being no shortage of Juventus attempts to try to mend the deficit. Towards the end of the set the yellow and blue team runs ahead and closes the first set with 25-18.
Second set. The start of the second set sees the hosts, more incisive, manage to score the first break of the set at 4-1. As the minutes of play pass, the yellow and blues keep the pressure high and run ahead: at 9-4, coach Cuttini tries with the time out to reverse the trend seen up to this point in the partial, but he doesn’t seem to succeed. At 13-9, a service error by Sapozhkov, and the Paduan team is four points behind the Modena team. Towards the middle of the set, however, the hosts continue the game ahead (16-10), with the bianconeri unable to close the gap that distances them from the yellow and blue. In the last moments of the game, coach Giuliani’s team, with several points separating them from Padova, runs ahead and also closes the second set in their favor (25-16).
Third set. The start of the third set sees, in its first moments, a point-to-point trend, with Padova seeming to believe in it again: at 3-4, a winning block by Plak. The Bianconeri, moreover, increased the pressure on the pitch and, with Captain Falaschi’s block at 7-9, they moved within two points of the Gialloblu. A phase of the game begins in which the team led by coach Cuttini maintains the lead (11-13, black and white block on Sapozhkov). Towards the middle of the set Padova starts to rack up points, taking a five-point lead over Modena (14-19), and coach Giuliani calls a time out. The game continues and the Bianconeri, also taking advantage of some mistakes in the home team’s service (at 16-20, Pinali’s serve hits the net), continue ahead. In the last minutes of the game, however, the Modena team managed to close the gap and reach Padova (at 23-23, ace from Davyskiba) but, after a very short point-to-point performance, the Padua team won the set 23-25.
Fourth set. The very first moments of the fourth set saw Modena take the field particularly incisively. In fact, we witness the first yellow-blue break at 4-1, made possible also thanks to a decidedly active Davyskiba on serve, from which the team led by coach Giuliani takes the lead (at 7-3, Rinaldi point). At 10-5, Bruno second, while at 11-5 coach Cuttini tries to use a time out to break the rhythm. The set continues with the yellow-blue team clearly in the lead, despite the Bianconeri trying to chase it: at 20-15, a point in attack from Zoppellari; at 22-17, ace from Luca Porro. The fourth set ends with 25-17, thanks to which the home team wins the match.
THE SCORESHEET
Valsa Group Modena – Volleyball Padova: 3-1 (25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 25-17)
Valsa Group Modena: Davyskiba 22, Brehme 7, Sapozhkov 13, Rinaldi 19, Sanguinetti 8, Mossa De Rezende 4, Federici (L); Boninfante, Pinali G. 1, Federici, Sighinolfi. Not entered: Juantorena, Stankovic, Pinali R., Gollini (L). All. Giuliani
Padua Volleyball: Porro 9, Truocchio 5, Zoppellari 2, Gardini 11, Plak 4, Guzzo 4, Taniguchi (L); Stefani 3, Zenger, Falaschi 1, Fusaro 2, Crosato 3, Desmet. Not entered: Beccaro (L). All. Cuttini
Duration: 26′, 23′, 28′, 26′. Total: 1h43′.
Note. Service: Modena errors 25, ace 8, Padova errors 18, ace 3. Block: Modena 7, Padova 6. Point errors: Modena 32, Padova 24. Reception: Modena 56% (32% prf), Padova 37% (23% prf). Attack: Modena 62%, Padua 44%.
Referees: Brancati – Prati
MVP: Mossa De Rezende Bruno (Valsa Group Modena)
Tags: Padova stops Modena playoff match
