It’s not just the playoff series that’s about balance, it’s the story of the comparisons between Belluno Volleyball And Smartsystem Fano: the two teams have already met on six occasions on the stage of the Serie A3 Credem Banca. On three occasions the Marches won, on three the rhinos. The last time, no later than Wednesday evening, in game 2 of the semi-final: at the Spes Arena, the Dolomite success was achieved in four partials. And so, after the 3-0 achieved by Virtus in the first act, we go to the “big one”: Sunday 5 May (7 pm), at the Palasport Allende, a place in the final is up for grabs.
The first meeting between the two teams dates back to 30 October 2021: it is the advance of Saturday evening. And the Belluno players interpreted it wonderfully: they won 3-1 and printed something like 19 blocks, 5 of which bear the signature of Matteo Mozzato. The central defender then closed with 13 points, also enriched by 2 aces. But even more incredible is the return match: at the end of January 2022, Fano dominates and takes a 2-0 lead in the sets count. More than compromised, the match seems irremediably closed. Also because the Marche players won 4 match balls. And they put the ball from the bracket on the ground: a call to the video check, however, saves the blue and whites. They go back upstream and complete a sensational comeback: it ends 16-14 in the tie-break. It’s a feat.
However, in the following season Fano returned tit for tat. And they prevailed both in the first leg (3-1 at the Spes Arena, in December 2022, thanks to 31 points from an unstoppable Christoph Marks) and in the second leg. On March 26, 2023, at the Palasport Allende, the hosts closed the score in three sets. The rest? It’s recent history. And, on the horizon, the third face-to-face in eight days looms. Now the balance is destined to break: on which side will the balance tip?
