In front of the 5,000 crowd at PalaBarton (a facility record with 4,986 spectators) Sir beat Monza and moved ahead 2-1 in the series that awards the men’s volleyball championship.
Block Devils irresistible in the first two sets, thanks to the power triggered by the 9 meters and the continuity in attack. Then the tough Monza returns to the game with Maar’s “dirty” ace which makes it 26-24. But Sir returns to play as at the beginning of the match and crushes the guests with a peremptory 25-19 in the fourth set. Ben Tara’s final point explodes the five thousand of the PalaBarton.
Perugia wins the challenge in several fundamentals. Serving (9 aces against 5), attacking (57% against 45%) and blocking (10 direct points against 5). MVP of the match Ben Tara, who finished with 20 points, 4 of which were blocks. Also in double figures are the two hammers Plotnytskyi and Semeniuk (14 and 12 respectively), 17 points also come from the center with an excellent Russo in attack (9 points with 88% in the first half) and a Flavio version of the wall shutter (8 points of which 5 are directly on the wall). Giannelli is extraordinary in managing the Juventus offensive game, Colaci confirms himself as the leader of Perugia’s second line for the thousandth time.
Captain Leon’s entry was again useful, decisive in the fourth set. In the end, the Caribbean spiker scored 4 out of 4 in attack and 2 aces set the Pian di Massiano steps ablaze.
The series now returns to Monza for race 4 on Sunday 28 April. The Block Devils will hunt for the title in the bedlam of Opiquad Arena. Without thinking about the possible new opportunity they will have in Pian di Massiano.
The match
Typical training for Lorenzetti. Immediately two breaks on each side with aces from Giannelli and Takahashi (2-2). Winning service also for Flavio (5-3). Galassi equalizes (5-5). Block and then attack by Russo (8-5). Giannelli secondly keeps his distance then blocks from Flavio (12-8). Attack and ace by Plotnytskyi (15-9). The Ukrainian left-handed player again followed by a double ace from Semeniuk (21-12). Plotnytskyi brings Perugia to set point (24-15). He immediately closes Ben Tara’s block (25-15).
5-3 Perugia in the second after Galassi’s error. Ben Tara’s attack is also out (5-5). Plotnytskyi with the maniout then Ben Tara (10-7). Plotnytskyi again (12-7). Winning block by Flavio then ace by Russo (15-8). Flavio closes the first half (17-10). Monza shortens with Takahashi’s turn of service (20-15). Plotnytskyi restarts Perugia with the pipe (22-16). Maar’s out serve takes the hosts to set point (24-18). Semeniuk favors the Juventus double (25-18).
Balance in the third (6-6). Monza advantage after Plotnytskyi’s error (7-9). Ben Tara equalizes with the counterattack (9-9). Block by Flavio then ace by Plotnytskyi (12-10). Maar out (15-12). Galassi (attack and ace) brings everything back into balance (18-18). Ben Tara out, Monza ahead (18-19). Loeppky pierces the wall, +2 for the guests (20-22). Inside Leon. Loeppky again, Monza set point (22-24). Ben Tara sends everything to the advantage (24-24). Maar on high hands (24-25). Ace by Maar with the help of the tape, Monza shortens (24-26).
Semeniuk takes charge for his team in the fourth set (8-5). In Leon for Plotnytskyi. The captain scored (10-6). Takahashi calls everything into question (11-10). Semeniuk finds a very important sideout (15-13). Ben Tara stops Maar from blocking then finds the winning counterattack (19-15). Maar immediately redeems himself with an attack and ace (19-17). Leon then block by Flavio (21-17). Double ace by Leon (23-17). Galassi scores, match point for Perugia (24-18). Ben Tara closes (25-19).
Leon: “It was great to play in front of 5 thousand people”
This is Wilfredo Leon’s comment: “Beautiful match by the team. I’m happy and proud of how we played today, especially in the first two sets. We wanted to show that we really wanted this victory. It was also great to play in front of five thousand people, now we’ll try to do better on Sunday in Monza.”
Scoreboard
SIR SUSA VIM PERUGIA – MINT VERO VOLLEY MONZA 3-1
Partials: 25-15, 25-18, 24-26, 25-19
SIR SUSA VIM PERUGIA: Giannelli 3, Ben Tara 20, Flavio 8, Russo 9, Plotnytskyi 14, Semeniuk 12, Colaci (free), Herrera, Leon 6, Solè, Held. N,e.: Ropret, Toscani (free), Candellaro. All. Lorenzetti, deputy all. Giaccardi.
MINT VERO VOLLEY MONZA: Cachopa 2, Loeppky 17, Di Martino 5, Galassi 9, Maar 11, Takahashi 14, Gaggini (libero), Visic, Szwarc 1, Mujanovic. Ne: Comparoni, Morazzini (free), Beretta. All. Eccheli, deputy all. Ambrosio.
Referees: Carlo Mauro Goitre – Rossella Piana
THE FIGURES – PERUGIA: 15 bs, 9 aces, 42% rec. pos., 17% rec. prf., 57% att., 10 walls. MONZA: 19 bs, 5 aces, 40% rec. pos., 23% rec. prf., 45% att., 5 walls.
