the Under 19 team triumphs, Siena Nero struggles, Siena Bianco surrenders

Cecina Water Polo – Siena Water Polo: 8-11 (3-2, 0-3, 2-4, 3-2).

The team, led by coach Marco Mancini, was made up of Pietro Cappelli (captain and goalkeeper), Filippo Marzucchi, Sergio Ricci, Matteo Scarpelli, Francesco Belluardo, Milo Capra, Daniele Tomaselli, Diego Luchini, Giovanni Cheli, Pietro Marzucchi, Lorenzo Casini , Gabriele Grazzini, Thomas Piseddu (goalkeeper), Matteo Giudilli and Zeno Capra.

The protagonists of the victory were Tomaselli and Ricci with 4 goals, followed by Casini with 2 goals and Marzucchi F. with one. Furthermore, 3 penalties were scored and as many were missed.

The match was characterized by strong opposition from the home team, warmly supported by their fans. Despite this, Siena Water Polo was able to impose its game, demonstrating its technical superiority.

In the first period, although Siena started well and displayed a lively game, immediately taking the lead with Tomaselli and then with Ricci on a penalty, there was a comeback from Cecina who, thanks to the three penalties missed by the Siena team, closed the half at 2-3. In the second period, after a difficult start for Siena, the situation was reversed thanks to three goals from Tomaselli, Casini and Ricci and the readiness of goalkeeper Piseddu, who effectively prevented the opponents from scoring for the entire second quarter. In the third half, the Juventus team scored twice with Ricci, and then with Tomaselli and Casini. The fourth half saw Siena start well with a goal from Marzucchi, but Cecina immediately responded with a shot from distance which Tomaselli made up for by scoring on a penalty.

“Great performance by the team on a very difficult pitch and against a very strong and well-organised team” – is the comment of Mister Marco Mancini – who adds: “I can consider myself very satisfied with their performance, the boys played at a very high pace considered the category. There were some errors in the management of emotions at the end of the match, we will work on it but we have nothing to blame ourselves for.”

With this victory, Siena Water Polo UISP moves up to second place in the U19 regional championship, with 12 points, behind Mugello in the lead with 14 points. The next match will be played on May 5th in Colle di Val d’Elsa against Lucca.

Under 14 matches

Despite an intense and hard-fought match, Pontassieve managed to prevail with a final score of 11-10. Siena Bianco, however, could do nothing against Lucca Water Polo who won the match 31-1. Siena Bianco’s only goal was scored by goalkeeper Vittorio Coccia.

Pontassieve Water Polo – Siena Nero: 11-10 (3-4, 2-1, 3-4, 3-1)

The Siena Nero team, led by Mister Matteo Ianniello, saw Pietro Donzelli on the pitch as goalkeeper, flanked by Luca Cosco, Giovanni Damiani, Brieuc Lenne, Pietro Contigiani, Giulio Calvellini (Captain), Alessandro Manganelli, Gabriele Strano, Walter De Serio , Jacque Sabaly, Ettore Bossini, Riccardo Tempini, Cesare Maglioni and Leonardo Pieri. Among the protagonists of the match, the six goals scored by Bossini stand out, followed by the two goals by Calvellini, the goal by Sabaly and the goal by De Serio.

The match started immediately showing a great balance between the two teams with important actions from both sides in the first minutes. However, Pontassieve managed to realize a 2-0 lead. The Sienese, under the guidance of Ianniello, did well to immediately close the gap to 4-2 and played very well, remaining focused above all on defense and making the most of the opportunities in attack. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 4-3 in favor of Siena Nero.

The second quarter was also very close, with chances on both sides. At the end of the second quarter, the partial score was 2-1 in favor of Pontassieve, bringing the total score to 5-5 between the two teams.

The third quarter was balanced again, with the teams taking turns scoring a goal each, effectively always remaining tied until the end, when at the end Pontassieve managed to take the lead 11-10. A few seconds from the end, a great save by the opposing goalkeeper on Siena’s penalty shot denied the equalizer. The match therefore ends with the result 11-10 in favor of Pontassieve.

“At a playing level, the team was very compact and very good” – commented manager Davide Damiani at the end of the match – “The coach managed our players well, always trying to maintain balance on the pitch. We cannot complain about mistakes who could have won the match, – adds Damiani – considering that Pontassieve also played very well. Despite the disappointment of the defeat – concludes the manager – the group remained united, even after the match, demonstrating that it is not work only the one done during training, but also the human one done on the boys to maintain team cohesion in all situations, both victory and defeat.

Lucca Water Polo – Siena Bianco: 31-1 (0-8, 0-9, 1-8, 0-6)

Mister Ianniello had called the following athletes for the training to be presented in the pool:

Vittorio Coccia in goal, Niccolò Pianigiani, Giuseppe Buonanno, Lorenzo Di Salvatore, Costante Vasconetto, Pietro Bertolino, Carlo Buonanno, Marco Romeo, Mattia Scarpelli captain), Gioele Panti, Pietro Margiotta, Andrea Margiotta, Martino Carnesecchi, Lorenzo Corti and Leonardo Batazzi.

“Despite the big gap, both in age and technique, the little ones from Siena Bianco didn’t hold back, fighting like lions until the last second. This match also served to help them mature and put minutes of play behind them” is what says manager Monica Vegni at the end of the race.

The next matches of the two Under 14s are scheduled for May 12th in Livorno, where Siena Bianco will face Pontassieve and Siena Nero against the hosts Livorno.

The three matches played on Sunday can be seen on the Siena Water Polo YouTube channel at the link: youtube.com/@pallanuotosiena