A memorable evening for Rana Verona, who scored an encore in a few days against Valsa Group Modena and gained access to the first final of the 5th Place Play Offs in its history. The Scala team managed to break the balance of the first two sets, winning both and forcing their opponents to reopen the discussion in the third. Lucidity and fluency, then, were the keys to the fourth set, where Coach Stoytchev’s team kept the match under control, thus snatching the pass for the final act of this phase. A great game from the three home team players Dzavoronok, Keita and Amin, who together scored 55 points, while in the center Cortesia scored 8 times. Now Spirito and his companions are awaited by the last stage of the season and in front of them they will find the Cucine Lube Civitanova, on Saturday at 6.00 pm, with the Pala AGSM AIM always as a backdrop.
In the initial lineup, Coach Stoytchev confirms Spirito in the control room with Amin in the opposite role to complete the diagonal. In place four, room for Dzavoronok and Keita, while in the center there are Cortesia and Grozdanov, with D’Amico as libero.
It starts with Sanguinetti’s ace in the conflict zone, to which Amin and Keita respond in subsequent actions with two hands-outs (2-1). The opposite with 9 scores the double lead with a narrow diagonal, the guests put the game back on balance, then Cortesia scores the first half for 5-4. Davyskiba’s block is worth the overtaking, then Sapozhkov sends his team up by two (6-8). Keita relaunches Verona, who goes back ahead, but it is a continuous back and forth, with Amin trying to interrupt with the diagonal of 13-12. Dzavoronok finds the right opening on an invention by Spirito in an overturned bagher, before also scoring on serve (17-15). Keita takes to the skies to maintain the lead, increased by Spirito’s monster block (20-17). Cortesia unleashes his power from the center of the net and scores the 22-18. Sanguinetti shortens, but from nine meters Davyskiba makes a mistake and hands the first set to the local troops (25-23).
The blocks of Amin and Grozdanov open the ball in the second half. Modena rises again, seals the equalizer with Sapozhkov and with Davyskiba’s soft touch overtakes (5-6). Amin dampens the guests’ escape attempt, but Sanguinetti raises his voice against the wall and creates the gap (6-9). Dzavoronok takes care of reinvigorating his team with a one-two that makes it 8-10. Modena plays again in the center and Brehme takes advantage of the suggestion, making it 10-14. Courtesy stops Sapozhkov, the public gets excited and Verona reduces, then Spirito who first goes for the equalizer (14-14). Dzavoronok reverses the inertia, the Emilians mend the score, then Amin scores a new equalizer at 17-17. Ace by Davyskiba, Sanguinetti replies and the canaries go up 18-21. Grozdanov and Keita put the match back on balance with two amazing monster blocks, before D’Amico performed a defensive prodigy that allowed Keita to make it 22-21. Modena felt the pinch and the Scaligeri doubled their lead with Keita (25-22).
Convincing start also in the third set, with Amin piercing the taraflex for 3-0. Modena remains close to the score thanks above all to Davyskiba, but Dzavoronok turns a dirty ball into gold, piercing the opponents’ hands from place four, before scoring the ace to make it 10-7. Amin takes the stage with two blocks in a row which increase the gap between the two teams (13-8). Sapozhkov finds the winning line that gives Giuliani’s boys more confidence. Amin still leaves no way out for the opposing defense and gives his men breathing space again, Davyskiba shortens from the second line with the pipe, but the Scaliger number 10 punishes with the hands out to make it 18-16. Brehme equalizes at the end of a long rally, but it’s still Amin who does badly. The ball doesn’t seem to want to fall, but Verona insists and goes back over with the Iranian. Pinali scores for the new equalizer, but Pinali again overtakes (21-22). Modena remains on top and reopens the match with Davyskiba.
Keita immediately responds to Pinali, with Cortesia trying to break the balance with a great first half, followed by two aces from Keita (6-3). Dzavoronok blocks and increases the lead, with Sapozhkov scoring to reduce the gap. Verona, however, takes back control of the match: Amin punches the block, Davyskiba sends it out from the second line and the score goes to 11-7. Cortesia stings from place three, Amin does the same from nine meters and the Scaligeri gain five points (14-9). Keita hits the target with the pipe, then the usual Iranian 10 cuts the ball for 17-12. Modena tries to get back into the game, Spirito chooses Keita in place four for 20-15. Dzavoronok breaks through Sapozhkov’s wall (23-19), Pinali keeps afloat, but the Czech scores the match point, with Verona putting the seal on the challenge with Keita’s final shot (25-19).
SCORESHEET
Rana Verona-Valsa Group Modena 3–1 (25-23; 25-22; 23-25; 25-19)
Rana Verona: Spirito 2, Amin 18, Keita 20, Dzavoronok 17, Cortesia 8, Grozdanov 2, D’Amico (L), Jovovic, Sani, Mozic, Mosca, Zingel, Zanotti, Bonisoli (L). All. Stoytchev
Valsa Group Modena: Bruno, Sapozhkov 19, Rinaldi 2, Davyskiba 23, Sanguinetti 9, Brehme 8, Federici (L), Boninfante, Juantorena, Pinali G., Pinali R. 5, Stankovic, Sighinolfi, Gollini, Menchetti (L). All. Giuliani
Referees: Cappello (1st), Brunelli (2nd), Marconi (3rd)
Video Check Officer: Mix
Set duration: 30′; 27′; 32′; 25′; total: 1h54′
Attack: Rana Verona 54%; Valsa Group Modena 51%
Walls: Rana Verona 12; Valsa Group Modena 7
Ace: Rana Verona 5; Valsa Group Modena 5
MVP: Noumory Keita
Attendance: 2028
Tags: Rana Verona final #5th place Modena collapses
