MINT True Volley Monza – Sir Susa Vim Perugia 1-3 (25-19; 23-25; 25-27; 20-25)
MINT Vero Volley Monza: Visic, Loeppky 15, Maar 20, Mujanovic, Galassi 12, Takahashi 14, Kreling 1, Di Martino 5, Gaggini (L), Szwarc 2. NE Comparoni, Morazzini (L), Beretta. All. Eccheli.
Sir Susa Vim Perugia: Held, Giannelli 8, Herrera 7, Leon 25, Ben Tara 4, Colaci (L), Resende 8, Semeniuk 6, Plotnytskyi 9, Russo 7, Ropret. NE Candellaro, Toscani (L), Solè. All. Lorenzetti.
NOTE
Referees: Andrea Pucher, Gianluca Cappello
Spectators: 3983
Set duration: 33′, 34′, 38′, 32′; total: 2h17′
MINT True Volley Monza: winning serves 5, missed serves 12, blocks 12, errors 22, attack 48%
Sir Susa Vim Perugia: winning serves 4, missed serves 15, blocks 5, errors 24, attack 54%
MVP: Simone Giannelli (Sir Susa Vim Perugia)
Plant: Opiquad Arena – Monza (MB)
MONZA, 28 APRIL 2024 – On the field ofOpiquad Arenaat the end of the fourth match of the SuperLega Scudetto Final, celebrates the Sir Susa Vim Perugiabut the MINT True Volley Monza comes out to the applause of the almost 4000 people present who can only give an emotional standing ovation and their biggest applause to the coaching team Massimo Eccheli, protagonist of yet another match played to the best of his ability. At the end of the challenge the scoreboard reads: 1-3 for Perugia (25-19, 23-25, 25-27 and 20-25) and the Serie A score also ended at 1-3, with the Umbrians who will be able to sew the scudetto on their chest next season. Monza, however, was the protagonist not only of a “big” match or Playoff final, but of an entire season at the highest level with two national finals and one European final. The last act did not smile for Vero Volley, which however once again thrilled all its fans and not only, once again giving a spectacular and hard-fought match, playing a gritty and determined volleyball, fighting until the end for the own dream.
The goodbye to the Super League, now, is next year, but not only that: with the Consortium which will take part in the Champions League for the first time in its history, also with its first men’s team.
For this decisive Game 4 of the Scudetto Finals there will be no changes to the now usual six-pack, with Eccheli fielding Kreling as a setter and Loeppky opposite to, Maar And Takahashi spikers, Galaxies And Di Martino in the center e Gaggini free.
Back and forth at the start of the match between the two teams, with MINT Vero Volley Monza finding Maar’s beautiful pipe for the 3-3. The first break puts Perugia on the ground (4-6), but Monza responds with another pipe, this time signed by the Japanese Takahashi. The Brianza team didn’t falter, and still had an impact of 8-8. The Monza team are able to exploit the Umbrian team’s inaccuracies in attack to set the tone and score the counter-break, which is immediately equalized by Semeniuk’s parallel. However, MINT has an edge, driven by the sold-out Opiquad Arena, and finds momentum again with Takahashi’s ace (13-11). Lorenzetti requests a time-out to talk to his players, but the inertia is always on the side of the hosts who, taking advantage of Galassi’s great contribution in the first half (well triggered by Kreling’s raises), reach +4 (17-13): second time-out for Perugia. Vero Volley is furious and escapes at 20-14, taking advantage of the excellent blocking-defense correlation offered by the Brianza team. Eccheli chooses to spend a time-out (20-16), and upon returning the newly introduced Szwarc hits with a powerful down the line. Semeniuk gets into the rhythm and brings the Umbrians closer (21-18): second technical suspension requested by Eccheli. Nice first half from Di Martino: 23-18. Mujanovic also enters the field, but it is Loeppky who gives the first set point to Monza (24-19). And Maar scores the first set: 25-19.
It is again Perugia, also in the second set, who scores the first break (2-4) taking advantage of a more solid defense, at least at the start. Eccheli immediately calls a time-out, and upon returning it is Di Martino who leads the charge with a winning first half (3-4). Monza equalizes the score and puts the arrow towards overtaking (6-5), taking advantage of Takahashi’s second ace of the match. Another winning serve for Monza, this time with Di Martino and a block from Galassi: great contribution from the two central defenders (9-7), while Lorenzetti requests a time-out. Loeppky strikes immediately upon exiting the thirty-second suspension (10-7), inducing the Umbrian bench to spend a second time-out at close range. Vero Volley decisively puts their foot down on the accelerator, moving to +4 (11-7) after Maar’s formidable one-man block. Perugia closes the gap thanks to a Leon in a state of grace, reaching -1 (15-14), right after a monster block from the naturalized Polish spiker. Sir pushes and finds the equalizer at 16-16. The Umbrians also manage to find the advantage (17-18): Eccheli time-out. The tension is palpable, with the two teams fighting like gladiators in the Arena (19-19). Leon gives his team the advantage and Herrera scores the break, which is however recovered by Monza thanks to a magic from Maar (23-23). It is Perugia, then, who finds the winning streak and closes the set: 23-25.
Loeppky’s ace opens the third set in the best possible way for the locals (1-0), immediately followed by Maar’s winner who gives MINT the break. Sir, however, is not dismayed and once again scores the 2-3 with Leon. Break Perugia (3-5), Monza responds with Galassi but it is always the visiting team that remains ahead (4-6). Giannelli’s dunk brings the Umbrians to +3 (4-7), prompting Eccheli to time out. MINT shortens (7-8), taking advantage of the attacks of Loeppky and Maar, supported by two great defenses of the libero Gaggini. Perugia extends again, but Takahashi scores the pipe, the Japanese’s trademark (8-10). Flavio’s block allows the guests to escape at +4 (8-12), with Eccheli also deciding to take advantage of the second time-out. The Brianza team fights, but Perugia still plays the lion’s share, reaching +5 (11-16). Loeppky fights in attack, scoring with a full-arm dunk (13-17). Sir maximum advantage (13-19), after Giannelli’s ace. MINT mini-break signed by Maar-Loeppky: 16-19 and Perugia time-out. The lead is now wide and Plotnytskyi brings the guests to 20-24. Monza, however, cancels two set points, with Lorenzetti forced to time out (22-24). Di Martino doesn’t stop believing in it and scores a sensational one-one block, immediately before Loeppky’s second monster block for the equalizer. Giannelli finds the second touch, but Takahashi responds present (25-25). However, Sir won the set 25-27, after an unsuccessful attack from Monza.
Perugia immediately shifts into high gear at the start of the fourth game, attempting an immediate escape (0-3) and forcing Eccheli to time out. The Umbrians go 1-5, but the Brianza players respond and get back into the match with Loeppky’s diagonal (4-6). Leon returns to the scene, soaring higher than the wall to hit the winning parallel shot (4-8). Galassi pushes his teammates with a monster block and the winning attack of 7-9. Leon is able to score the ace of the new +4 (8-12). The Monza team tries everything to get closer, but without success while the Brianza bench chooses to also spend the second suspension (10-14). Here the Szwarc card is played, but the Umbrians continue to grind out the game, reaching +6 (10-16). Vero Volley is a team of warriors and puts all their heart into it until the end, making great use of Maar’s hand-out to get back to -4 (13-17), before Lorenzetti’s time-out. Monza has no intention of retreating an inch, returning to the minimum gap (16-17) after a couple of great attacks from Maar. Perugia extends with Leon’s diagonal (17-20). The Umbrians have found their rhythm again and are attacking, returning to +4 (18-22). With Leon’s driven lob, Perugia reached the point worth an entire season: 19-24. The first match point was canceled out by Takahashi (20-24), but on the second Semeniuk put the word “end” to the 2023-2024 national volleyball season: Sir Susa Vim Perugia is Italian Champion. But the standing ovation of the Opiquad Arena is the great “thank you” of the entire public and of the Consortium for a MINT Vero Volley protagonist of a fantastic season and a series of Playoffs that made every fan fall in love with Monza and its volleyball .
MVP of the final series of the Super League playoffs is Simone Giannelli. For MINT… the MVP on this occasion can only be the entire team: because everyone was the protagonist of an unforgettable season, which made all the people of Brianza dream.
THE STATEMENTS
Gianluca Galassi (MINT Vero Volley Monza): “We must be proud of what we did, how we played and this achievement. These have been many years of firsts for Monza and this was another one. I think we should be really proud of what we have done, because every day with work and sacrifice we have managed to reach this goal and I can’t be anything but happy about it”.
Thomas Beretta (Captain MINT Vero Volley Monza): “There’s nothing to say: every time you lose a final it obviously hurts, however, in a few days when we look back I think all of us will realize that we had an incredible championship. We are a crazy group, where no one has ever given up on anything. We had our difficulties, but we recovered by fighting in the Playoffs. We hoped in Game 5 to be able to play until the end, however, congratulations to Sir. We gave our soul and for this thanks to everyone.”
Claudio Bonati (DS Consorzio Vero Volley): “From the first interview I said that this was the strongest men’s team that the Consortium had ever had, knowing the great potential of these guys. The team has shown a lot: that it is very united and has a great desire to play together. We faced a complex path, but we managed to overcome first Civitanova and then Trento, until we reached this final. We never gave up, we really gave it our all and we proved it this evening too. Congratulations to Perugia, deserving of this Scudetto, but I am immensely happy for this team, because it has proven to be of a high level and has lived a fairy tale, which even in defeat had its happy ending.”
