LAUNCH – After a year Volley Treviso sews a new championship on its chest: coach Cappelletto’s U17 team beats Parella Torino in the final and becomes Italian champion in the category. In the final staged at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Lanciano, the Orogranata team prevailed with a 3-0 which was much tougher than the partials say, at least in the first two sets: the Piedmontese team started ahead in both rounds and it wasn’t easy for Treviso recover and go on to win, but the more varied game and with fewer errors rewards the Treviso team. In the third set the Turin team lost their edge and for the Treviso team it became a one-way march towards the top of the podium. The victory is liberating: coach Cappelletto’s team finally wins the title after reaching the finals for three consecutive editions (2022, 2023, 2024).
After two silvers comes the much desired gold and it could only end like this given the great strength of this team. This is demonstrated by the promotion to Serie B achieved two weeks ago and the fact that in the whole year they suffered only one defeat in the under 17s, the one in the debut of the National Finals against Bologna. A slip that really risked compromising everything, but which, as often happens, instead proved to be the catalyst for a series of victories achieved with great character and determination on the part of the entire team led by Simone Porro. The orogranata setter also wins the best setter award, Alessandro Benacchio wins the best center back award, while Francesco Crosato, already best spiker in the 2023 U15 National Final, wins the MVP award.
Coach Cappelletto: “It is truly a great satisfaction to have managed to win this championship. We started as favorites and I know from experience that it is absolutely not easy to get to the end when you have this type of pressure. The boys responded well as they have done throughout the year, certainly starting tight in the first group match and also at the start of the final, but showing character along the way. On the other hand, this is a group that, in addition to great technical and physical skills, also has talent from a character point of view, it has always demonstrated it and this success is yet another proof of this. It’s my fifth championship and we tend to think that the last one is always the best, this one that arrived today is special for me because from the first training sessions I felt I had a group that could do great things. So it was. They had perseverance, concentration and the ability to resolve situations in critical moments, all things that make the difference in the individual and in the group.”
The news
Cappelletto lines up Porro opposite Argilagos, Crosato and Costantini in place 4, Benacchio and Monzani in the centre, Moro A. libero. After some initial inaccuracies the Treviso team took the lead (8-7) and there was also an advantage with Costantini’s counterattack (11-8). Treviso defends well and counterattacks with patience, covering and playing again. Attention pays; then comes Argilagos’ ace to make it 15-11. Turin’s service doesn’t pick up the pace, Treviso thanks (18-13). Crosato inserts an internal parallel in counterattack for 20-14, Porro extends from nine metres. At 23-15 Parella scores a series of tricky serves and comes back (23-18), but Costantini scores 24-18. Two set balls don’t land, Khotsevych cancels the third; Costantini again finds the hand out at 25-21. The start of the second set was dominated by Khotsevych, who unleashed some great shots to send his team to 4-0. Piedmontese blocking and service also rise in level (8-3). Porro lands two attacks (9-6), but the Turin defense drops very little and Khotsevych finishes all the balls. Boninsigni also makes his presence felt in attack, Treviso follows (14-11). Porro finds a hand-out on a high ball from zone 4 and shortens, Benacchio blocks for -1 (15-14).
Crosato counterattacks to equalize (16-16). Benacchio’s block keeps Treviso going (21-19), then Costantini resolves a difficult ball (22-20). The orogranata error in the ball exchange brings Torino closer (23-22), Costantini scores again from zone 2 and it is 24-22. Torino regains the ball and manages to land the pipe at 24 all with Khotsevych, but then misses his serve and attack, sending Treviso 2-0 (26-24). In the third half Treviso plays with ease and goes up 8-4, Parella lets some opportunities slip away; Costantini and Porro land two counterattacks (11-4). Nota keeps his ball-changing afloat, but a few too many errors and inaccuracies send Treviso flying high; Monzani also puts an ace on the line (16-7). Benacchio and Argilagos block Khotsevych on the block (19-9), the tape helps Benacchio’s serve fall onto the opponent’s court (21-10). Costantini closes on the block (25-12).
NATIONAL U17 FINALS – FINAL
VOLLEY PARELLA TURIN – VOLLEY TREVISO 0-3 (21-25, 24-26, 12-25)
Volley Treviso: Monzani 6, Argilagos 7, Furlan 0, Bubacco ne, Barosco ne, Porro 7, Moro U. (L), Benacchio 9, Sartori ne, Brancaleoni ne, Biondo 0, Crosato 9, Moro A. (L), Costantini 12. All: Cappelletto Torino: Baldi 2, Mori 3, Quaranta 1, Bono ne, Canova ne, Note 12, Formento L, Khotsevych 14, Vaira ne, Boninsegna 4, Huber 0, Celada L, Dealessi 0, Maciuca 2.
Referees Bosio and Cioffi
Set duration: 28, 31, 21, total 1h 20′
Treviso: bat. mistakes 5, aces 4, blocks 5, errors 19
Turin: bs 8, aces 1, blocks 4, errors 26
NATIONAL U17 FINALS – FINAL
VOLLEY PARELLA TURIN – VOLLEY TREVISO 0-3 (21-25, 24-26, 12-25)
Volley Treviso: Monzani 6, Argilagos 7, Furlan 0, Bubacco ne, Barosco ne, Porro 7, Moro U. (L), Benacchio 9, Sartori ne, Brancaleoni ne, Biondo 0, Crosato 9, Moro A. (L), Costantini 12. All: Cappelletto
Turin: Baldi 2, Mori 3, Quaranta 1, Bono ne, Canova ne, Note 12, Formento L, Khotsevych 14, Vaira ne, Boninsigni 4, Huber 0, Celada L, Dealessi 0, Maciuca 2.
Referees Bosio and Cioffi
Set duration: 28, 31, 21, total 1h 20′
Treviso: bat. mistakes 5, aces 4, blocks 5, errors 19
Turin: bs 8, aces 1, blocks 4, errors 26
