In the bedlam of the Palasport of Latisana, CDA Talmassons writes history, closing the promotion issue in game 2 with another heavy 3-0 (31-29; 25-20; 25-17).
For the second consecutive year, Friuli is fatal for Futura who thus bid farewell to their dreams of glory without managing to extend the final series to game 3.
Coach Barbieri’s team plays a practically perfect match (10 point blocks against 5) in which it forces the red and whites to work disproportionately to put the ball on the ground and this is then reflected in the overall economy of the game. So the timeless Queen plays on the cup raised to the sky by Captain Beatrice Negretti. After a first set in which Futura seems to want to turn things around with two heavy breaks, CDA doesn’t give up and recovers on both occasions, dragging everything on forever. The heavy slap comes only after very long advantages that decree the 31-29. The nocks take the hit and lose certainties with Cvetnic and Zanette who I can’t make an impact on. The Friulian team, on the other hand, is confident, driven once again by Eze who scores a double for MVP and best sorts the balls that pass through his hands. The partial scores suffered by the bustots (4-0; 7-0) were too heavy to be able to hope to reverse the trend.
In the first half the back and forth was very long with neither team determined to concede any space. The nocks approach well and try to lead twice, reaching +3. The home team doesn’t give up and relies on Hardeman to keep the visitors breathing down their necks. It is once again the American who leads the way and reverses the course, forcing coach Beltrami to make a double stop in a short space of time. The Pink Panthers’ wall takes the measure of the opposing red and white team and tries to direct the partial. Futura still believes in it and returns to the ground with Zanette and takes two chances to win the fraction but is not cynical enough to close out. The very long advantages are needed to archive an infinite first half with Talmassons throwing two set balls to the wind and Futura doing the same with three others. The hosts kept pace, believing in it until the end where they went on to take an incredible first half which ended 31-29.
The second set opens once again with the balance broken first by Futura who finds the break. The nocks kept pace until Eckl’s turn of service who launched the CDA at +3. At Futura they have to sweat to put the ball on the ground and Cvetnic runs into difficulty unable to find gaps in the opponent’s wall. On Rebora’s turn of service comes a double from the Croatian red and white which rekindles hopes (19-18). In the final, CDA steps on the accelerator and takes five set balls for the double advantage that sounds like doom (24-19). The final ruling came on the second occasion when Zanette’s out ball also handed the second set to the home team (25-20). Futura suffers the slap and immediately starts uphill also in the third set. The Board of Directors dominates without making mistakes and hammering out point after point, the beauty of eight match balls soon materializes to write history. Home number 2 Leah Hardeman takes care of putting the ball on the ground which triggers the big celebration at Talmassons.
THE RACE
Coach Barbieri proposes the sextet seen at the PalaBorsani with Eze Blessing opposite Piomboni, Eckl – Costantini as a central pair, Populini – Hardeman in the band, Negretti libero.
On the opposite side, coach Beltrami, still without Conceicao, opts for the 6+1 different from game 1 with Monza directing diagonally with Zanette, Furlan and Rebora in the centre, Pomili – Cvetnic in the forwards, Bonvicini libero.
FIRST SET: initial point to point which is interrupted by the bustocco mini break which materializes on Piomboni’s out attack (3-6). The home team remains glued and calls everything into question with Populini’s hands out (7-7). Another long back and forth which ends with Monza’s big block and Furlan’s lunge which is worth +3 (12-15). Coach Barbieri calls him to report and at the restart it is still Futura who keeps a safe distance with Zanette’s line (13-17). The home team returns to show itself, putting everything back on equal footing and reversing the trend with Hardeman’s hat-trick (19-18). Zanette returns to sink the double which is worth the counter break (19-22). Eze’s ace rekindles the hopes of the Friulians (22-23). The nocks take two chances to close on Hardeman’s error (22-24). The hosts cancel both and serve the advantages (24-24). Costantini’s big block gives the home team the chance (25-24). Futura also cancels, but Populini gives the second set ball (26-25). Cvetnic responds with a brace that delivers the third set point (26-27). Costantini’s block on Pomili and CDA’s fourth set ball (30-29). Costantini closed it out in the first half, setting an incredible 31-29.
SECOND SET: another initial back and forth which is interrupted in favor of Busto who sinks into the pipe with Cvetnic (4-6). Murone from Cvetnic on Eckl’s fast for the +3 of the punches (7-10). The hosts didn’t give up and re-established the balance with Hardeman’s one-man block on Cvetnic (10-10). It’s a break for the Friulians on Eckl’s 9-meter turn (13-10). The pink panthers keep pace, Populini’s precision lunge is worth +4 (17-13). Cvetnic no longer finds space and hits the wall again (19-14). On Rebora’s turn of service comes a double from the Croatian red and white which rekindles hopes (19-18). CDA extends with the double block on Zanette first and then Cvetnic (22-18). In the final it was Furlan’s mistake that gave the home team five set balls for the double advantage that smacked of doom (24-19). The second was good with Zanette’s ball out which ended the second (25-20).
THIRD WEEK : on the wave of enthusiasm the home team scored 4-1. Populini and his teammates keep up the pace and find the +4 with Costantini’s ace on Cvetnic (9-5). Coach Beltrami tries to play the Bosso card who responds immediately (10-8). Eckl’s block on Zanette and the mistake made by the red and white number 17 brings the hosts back to a heavy +5 (13-8). Ace by Eze and lunge by Hardeman who keeps him well at a safe distance (17-11). Diagonal change at Futura with Bresciani-Del Core on the pitch. In the now settled final, Eze’s second touch made it 22-16. Pipe by Populuni who gives away eight match points to write history (24-16). The second was good with Hardeman who sent the Palasport into a frenzy, putting the exclamation point on 25-17.
MVP: Eze Blessing
THE WORDS OF THE PROTAGONISTS
Alessandro Beltrami : “Congratulations to Talmassons because they played two games of the highest level in everything they did. They always knew how to find the right solutions in all moments of the match. We allowed ourselves to be led into the trap a little too much. Unfortunately it’s over now, in my opinion we made a bit of a mistake with some balls falling too easily. It’s a shame because we had found the key in the first set to apply pressure. I’m sorry because we were neither constant nor cynical enough. I’m sorry it ended here, for me personally it was an intense and beautiful experience. I thank the whole environment starting from the club and the staff as well as the girls who gave me so much and followed me. Unfortunately we didn’t fulfill a dream that this team wanted to achieve from the beginning. It is an experience that must serve as a lesson for us to learn because either you win or you learn and today unfortunately Talmassons won.”
Sofia Rebora : “We started very strong in the first set with the awareness that we wanted to overturn the result. We then faded in the other two, the last one in particular we gave up. I’m sorry because I think we wasted an opportunity in game 1 and this was the last chance that we didn’t take advantage of. I’m as sorry for my teammates as I am for the club, the fans, the sponsors. However, I congratulate Talmassons for how they played in this final. The playoffs are always something in themselves and you have to put tiredness aside if you want to win you have to find all the weapons to do it. We all lacked a bit of courage in the decisive moments and the fear of risking something more.”
SCORESHEET
CDA Talmassons – Futura Volley Giovani 3-0 (31-29; 25-20; 25-17).
CDA Talmassons: Eze Blessing 7, Piomboni 5, Eckl 6, Costantini 8, Populini 12, Hardeman 17, Negretti (L), Bole, Kavalenka ne. Bagnoli, Monaco (L2), Grazia, Feruglio, Gulich. Coach Barbieri Serve: incorrect 11, 4 aces. Reception: 43% positive, 28% perfect, 2 errors. Attack: 37% positivity, 5 errors, blocks 5. Blocks: 10
Futura Volley Giovani: Monza 4, Zanette 13, Rebora 4, Furlan 9, Cvetnic 8, Pomili 6, Bonvicini (L), Bosso 2, Bresciani, Del Core 1, Osana ne. Conceicao (L2), Citterio. All. Beltrami. Serve: incorrect 9, 2 aces. Reception: 46% positive, 25% perfect, 4 errors. Attack: 29% positivity, 12 errors, blocks 10. Blocks: 5
Roberto Bojeri
Futura Volley Youth
(photo Loris Marini)
