SMARTSYSTEM FANO-BELLUNO VOLLEY 3-0
PARTIALS: 25-17, 25-15, 25-21.
SMARTSYSTEM FANO: Dimitrov 16, Roberti 10, Galdenzi 7, Merlo 11, Partenio 2, Maletto 7; Raffa (L), Gori 1, Sorcinelli (L). In Uguccioni, Margutti, Focosi, Mazzon. Coach: V. Mastrangelo.
BELLUNO VOLLEYBALL: Ferrato 1, Bisi 6, Schiro 10, Bucko 9, Mozzato 3, Antonaci 2; G. Martinez (L), Reyes 4, Orto, Stufano. NeI Martinez, Guolla, Fraccaro (L). Coach: G. Colussi.
REFEREES: Matteo Selmi from Modena and Dario Grossi from Rome.
NOTE. Set duration: 25′, 29′, 30′. total: 1h24′. Fano: 15 missed serves, 8 winners, 11 blocks. Belluno: ss 10, v. 3, m. 5.
The semi-final series begins uphill for the Belluno Volleyball: the Allende sports hall, untouched for almost a calendar year, confirms itself as a fortress. And the Smartsystem Fano he prevailed in three sets, after having unleashed his heavy artillery: especially on serve. Indicative, in this sense, are the eight aces made by the Marche players, three of which from a wild Dimitrov. 104 days after Mirandola’s defeat (it was last January 14th), the rhinos are tasting the bitter taste of defeat away from home. Nothing is lost, however. Because the blue and whites will have the opportunity to bring the situation back into balance at the Spes Arena: match 2 is scheduled for Wednesday 1 May (7pm). In front of their audience, the Gian Colussi team will have to record some aspects and give everything, with the aim of returning to the Marche for the “beautiful”.
ACCELERATOR – From the start, Virtus’s foot is nailed to the accelerator pedal: not surprisingly, the hosts immediately take a decent margin (12-8). Antonaci tries to shorten the gap (13-11), but the players from the Marche are particularly incisive on the block (Maletto’s is worth 18-13) and on serve: the ace of the newly entered Gori launches the definitive escape (23-16) and Partenio, again with a winning serve, closes the set with a double win.
MORTIROLO – The semi-final turns into a Mortirolo, with prohibitive slopes, when Dimitrov lands the counterattack of 6-1, at the opening of the second round. Bisi, like a good captain, tries to play the charge and shortens (6-4), but it’s a flash in the pan. Because the people from Belluno are not very clean in the interpretation of some fundamentals and, in the presence of a super team like Smartsystem, it is necessary to border on perfection. Or there is no escape. Once again it is the red and whites’ service that makes the difference. And to send the Dolomite reception into difficulty. A breath of energy comes from the bench guaranteed by Reyes. However, at 18-14, Dimitrov serves. And, in the blue and white half of the court, night falls, if it is true that the Bulgarian makes two aces in sequence and inspires the devastating break of 7-1.
REBUS – Smartsystem continues to push from nine meters and the Dimitrov puzzle is always difficult to resolve: the striker himself, who also passed through Parma, creates the 9-5 which gives the start to the third set. Coach Colussi tries to change the cards on the table and relies on Schiro in the opposite role, Stufano in the center and Reyes in the flank. And Belluno Volley goes back from 17-12 to -1, when Reyes scores the ace to make it 22-21. It will, however, be the last acute one. Because Galdenzi, on the block, re-establishes the distances: game 1 belongs to Fano.
THE ANALYSIS – «Let’s give credit to our opponents, they played an excellent match – analyzes coach Gian Luca Colussi -. But we didn’t apply the right pressure. In particular, we struggled in attack, often shooting forehands, and made a mess in reception. It certainly wasn’t one of our best evenings: fortunately we’ll be playing again immediately, in three days. And it will be a different game for us. We will analyze our mistakes so as not to repeat them again.”
Source: press release
