Italian champions again. After the Under 19 national title won a year ago in Agropoli, Consar Ravenna repeats itself in the Junior League, the Under 20 national Legavolley championship. In the final in Ozzano, today like a year ago, Itas Trentino ends up beaten, presenting itself with the same sextet as in the final in Campania but a team that is competing in the Serie B playoffs for promotion to A3. The result, however, did not change. Ravenna, without Bovolenta, in the national team, Chirila, out due to injury since March, and Pascucci, injured on the eve of the final eight, won 3-1 after a clear run in the qualifying round with three successes for 3-0 against Trento , Padova and Cisterna and in the semi-final 3-2 against Brugherio, coming back from two sets, in another match, like the last Under 19 match, full of suffering. Itas were again in front and a 3-1 arrived which marks the wonderful closure of the cycle of a group of boys who have grown together since the Under 14s (nine out of 14 had won the Under 19 title) to whom they gave quality, energy and experience of other boys returning from a year playing consistently in the first team, here and on loan elsewhere (this is the case of Orto, Pascucci and Tomassini). For Ravenna it is the fifth Junior League in history: a trophy that returns to the city 28 years after the fourth and last which was the sublimation of Alexander Skiba’s great cycle. And it is the best farewell that Mattia Orioli could have made, finishing with 28 points and with the MVP award and Filippo Mancini who played together with Russo for the whole match: a module, that of the double setter, which he tested in the qualifying round and then also in the comeback phases against Brugherio, in this final he became a decisive tactical element.
The first set had no history. Itas tried to surprise Consar by taking an initial two-point lead (5-7) but the 5-0 break gave Orioli and his teammates the impetus to change the inertia of the set, in which the Ravenna team maintained the lead.
The second set was much more balanced and, after a good start by Ravenna (6-3 and 7-5), saw Itas react by playing good volleyball. The 1-6 partial gave impetus to coach Conci’s boys but did not overthrow Consar who began to chase, reaching parity at 18 and opening up to a point-to-point final, with Orioli canceling a set ball to Itas and Russo’s ace which gives his team the 2-0 in the second set ball.
The fatigue of the previous set causes a drop in tension in Consar. Trento tackles the third set by immediately putting great pressure on serve. The result is a 1-7 at the start for Trento which is worth a sentence. Itas firmly holds the reins of the game and closes the gap, holding off Ravenna’s comeback attempts.
Consar made the first move to break the initial balance of the fourth set (6-4). An ace from Feri and one from Russo write the +4 (11-7) and +5 (14-9) respectively. The reaction of Conci’s boys is clear and with an ace from Pellacani and a block from Fedrici they bring themselves back to parity at 16. Final of the set marked by the change of ball: on 23 all two fatal errors from Itas. Ravenna thus raises its fifth Junior League to the sky.
Coach Mollo’s comment “This Junior League comes after the sporting miracle we accomplished yesterday by winning after we were a foot and a half out of the final and it is the reward for the splendid work of a club that is demonstrating with its actions that it believes and aims a lot on the youth sector and which has found in president Rossi a person who is very attentive to the development of the youth academy and the growth of individual kids. Our absences were important, but the group gained strength and in strength found the desire, stimuli and motivation to try to win again. They succeeded and sincere congratulations should be given to them.”
