Italy was defeated by Poland 3-0 (25-22; 25-21; 25-22) in the Nations League of men’s volleyball, losing the second match of the season in the prestigious international traveling tournament after the one against France in the tie-break. The World Champions took to the field in Ljubljana (Slovenia) with a B formation, i.e. devoid of all the big stars of this group, who remained at home to catch their breath after the first two weeks of matches: the setter Simone Giannelli, the opposite player Yuri Romanò, the spikers Alessandro Michieletto and Daniele Lavia, the central players Gianluca Galassi and Roberto Russo, the libero Fabio Balaso are not taking part in this trip to the Balkans.
Coach Fefé De Giorgi has decided to put his trust in the young peopleeven if this choice costs very heavy points in the FIVB ranking: Italy lost 7.74 and it is a shame given that this ranking will determine the merit bands for the group draw of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Our national team, which it is now located at third place in the general classification with seven successes and 21 points, behind Slovenia (9-21) and Poland (9-21, but best set ratio), it is still qualified for the Final Eight of the prestigious international traveling tournament. Tomorrow we will return to the field to challenge Bulgaria.
Among the Italian ranks the best were the spiker Luca Porro (12 points) and the opposite Alessandro Bovolenta (11 points), 7 points for the hammer Francesco Recine (7), 2 each for the central defenders Mosca and Sanguinetti, Riccardo Sbertoli in the control room. Poland was on the pitch with all the big names, and they were the ones who led the European Championships Wilfredo Leon (18 points) e Bartosz Kurek (15).
THE MATCH REPORT
Poland tries to escape at 6-6 in the first set: serving error by Sanguinetti, block by Bieniek on Mosca, hit by Leon for 9-6. The Azzurri do not give up and remain in the wake of shots from Bovolenta and Recine (11-12), but Leon and Bieniek are unstoppable even if Bovolenta and Porro continue to express themselves at excellent levels (15-15). Leon and Kurek operate a strong break (17-15 and 19-16), Sanguinetti and Porro manage to keep Italy close (21-22) but Kurek’s lob and Leon’s slingshot make it 24-22 before the Chokanowski’s wall on Bovolenta.
Italy starts better in the second set and moves to +3 (8-5) with a mani-out from Luca Porro, but Leon goes wild and dictates the law (9-9). Poland takes advantage of an attacking error by Bovolenta to take the lead and then Janusz’s block on Recine is a sentence (13-11). Bieniek’s first half and Kurek’s mani-out are terrible (17-14), Leon exalts himself with a mani-out and an ace (21-17) and at that point Poland just manages the advantage before closing with Kurek .
The third set is a point-to-point battle: Recine, Porro and Bovolenta stand out in Italy, while Poland always focuses on Kurek and Leon (16-16). The Azzurri seriously put the European Champions in difficulty and hold on with great stubbornness (19-19). At 20-20 Huber scores in the first half, Fornal blocks Recine, Kurek scores the 23-20 and then Bieniek closes the score.
