From the Rapallo Swimming and Water Polo press office
Rapallo conquers the Frecciarossa Federal Center in Ostia and finishes the regular season third
On the last day of the regular season the spotlight is on the match between SIS Roma and Rapallo
Water polo decisive match to decide access to the play offs. The yellow and blue prevail 9 to 8
on the Capitolines, three points which are worth the third position in the standings and access to the semi-finals
scudetto. Victory which allows the Ligurians to overtake Roma itself, which finishes in fourth place,
and exclude Water Polo Trieste from the final phase. The ranking sees Ekipe in first position
Orizzonte, according to the Padua Plebiscite, then the RPN and the SIS Rome. The semi-finals will see
face each other: Ekipe Orizzonte-SIS Rome; Antenore Plebiscito Padova-Rapallo Water Polo;
race 1 on May 3rd, race 2 on May 7th, possible race 3 on May 10th, with race one and possible
game three at the home of the best classified. The playoff finals between the two winners will be: game 1 on the fifteenth
May, race 2 on the eighteenth of May, possible race 3 on the twenty-third of May.
The match:
Vibrant match full of reversals in front of the Federal Frecciarossa Center of Ostia,
between the hosts of SIS who start with the favorites of the predictions and Rapallo intent on
play your chances until the end. Rapallo builds his victory with the strength of the group, and
on the mental strength that leads them to overcome the difficulties of the match. The defensive phase he manages is excellent
to limit the opposing guns, which when they manage to find spaces are often seen
walled by Caso the extreme yellow blue.
Rapallo starts strong, passing with Zanetta and Kudella in superiority but Roma impacts the former
partial with a brace from Capitan Picozzi (2-2). The new winners of the Italian Cup approach with
another take in the second quarter, passing with Cocchiere to which Marcialis responds, then extending
on the plus two again with Picozzi and the second center from Cocchiere, for a partial of 3 to 1. We go to the substitution
pool at 5 to 3 and the bad news for Coach Antonucci doesn’t end here, it weighs heavily on Roberta Bianconi
two serious fouls, which forced him to give up his star player for a good part of the match.
The yellow and blue are not discouraged and win the moment of truth with a partial score of 2-4. Decisive
the break signed by Zanetta’s brace (final hat-trick for her), and by the centers of Marcialis and Cabona
(5-7). The Roman response is still entrusted to the Poker Captain for her, and to Galardi. We go to the last one
half of the game in perfect parity 7-7, breaks the balance giving the new advantage to SIS
Ranalli. The response from the Rapallo team didn’t take long to arrive, Daniela Vomastkova eluded the mark and yes
finds herself alone to receive in the center and bag the goal of the new draw (8-8). They are still the defenses ad
get the better of the pearl of Carolina Marcialis, who mocks the opposing goalkeeper with a volley,
goal that is worth the personal hat-trick and the entire stake (8-9). Rapallo is close to plus two but
Sesena is good at blocking the opponent’s attempt, Roma’s final assault shatters on the defense
of the guests and on Caso attentive and reactive until the end when she stopped Picozzi’s shot and harpooned the
which he holds for the two seconds preceding the final siren.
The statements:
Big smiles at Rapallo, first and foremost for Patron Antonucci who underlines his team’s season
girls to this day with these words:
“A good match and a great victory against SIS Roma, a team of absolute value and in a
extraordinary period of form, as demonstrated by the recent and deserved victory in the Italian Cup, in
which they prevailed in the quarter-finals against us, then outclassing Ekipe Orizzonte in the semi-final and
I ask the Padua Plebiscite in the final. A victory that sweeps away doubts and some ungenerous criticism
arrived in the last period, but the girls responded in the pool. I’m proud of this
a group that has once again demonstrated its value, a group that sees Bianconi as the leader
of diamond, takes advantage of the experience of players of the caliber of Marcialis and Gitto, but has demonstrated
that there are important values also in the many young people who improve from game to game, whose
contribution is fundamental and it would be reductive not to recognize their merits. We enjoy third place
and let’s go and proudly play the championship semi-finals with the aim of having more fun,
aware of our potential but with a light heart to do our best.”
Coach Luca Antonucci also says he is satisfied with the team’s progress:
“An excellent result, which allows us access to the play offs like last season but with the
possibility of facing them at full strength with the entire squad available (last season in
play off phase Roberta Bianconi was absent due to injury ed.). Third place which I think is well deserved,
for what was done during the regular season which concluded with the excellent match played today. For us
it was an authentic final given the importance that allows us to close thirds and play the final stages
with a smile and the tranquility of having had a great season. Now head to the two playoff rounds,
however the semi-finals go we will play the final for third and fourth place, and play matches
of this level is fundamental for the growth path of the many young players in the squad.”
