In the second leg of the quarterfinals, Itas starts strong, wins the marathon in the tie break but then loses in the golden set. The Poles find Perugia in the semifinals
Trento-Zaksa 3-2 (25-19, 23-25, 27-29, 25-21, 15-12). Golden sets: 9-15
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The black beast has struck again. Once again, the Polish sextet of Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle interrupted Trentino Itas’ progress in the Champions League in the quarter-finals. After beating Angelo Lorenzetti’s team for two years in a row in the Champions League final, first in Verona and then in Ljubljana, now the trio is served in the double knockout match of the quarter-finals. After the Polish victory 3-2 in the first leg, in Poland, at the foot of the Dolomites came a victory in the Golden set in the return match, against a Trentino Itas that really has something to eat its hands. Because they were ahead 22-19 in the second set and being able to count on a handful of set balls even in the decisive third set, on both occasions the Dolomite players were reassembled by the guests. Trento who then makes a sensational comeback and wins 3-2 but the Poles laugh at the Golden Set. Thus flying to the semi-final against Sir Perugia, nipping in the bud the beauty of an all-Italian derby that would have already guaranteed at least one sextet from our country to be on the field in May in Turin in the Superfinals.
The match
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At the start, the sextets are the standard ones, expected on the eve. The first break arrives at 5-3 with Kaziyski’s ace immediately imitated by Michieletto (7-4), but the two consecutive blocks by Sliwka immediately bring the Poles closer together for 8-7. Interrupting a ball change that travels practically from both sides of the net are two errors in a row in attack by the Poles: 15-11 and a discretionary time-out requested by Sammelvuo. Sliwka’s serving error and the score reads 19-15, at this point Lisinac takes the chair: attack and block in a row for Trentino 21-16. In the final set Michieletto made no mistake against the high hands of the Polish block (23-18), before the credits rolled on the set were not Kaziyski’s attack and (yet another) Sliwka’s mistake. The start of the second set was very balanced, at least until Alessandro Michieletto showed up beyond the nine-metre line: three aces in a row and the score moved to 9-5 in favor of the hosts. Inside Staszewski for Bednorz to reinforce a ballistic reception, but it is above all the many mistakes made – in attack and in the construction of the attacking action – that weigh (14-9) on the shoulders of the Poles. Podrascanin is inspired and, even more, Michieletto has a hot arm, his 16-10 by closing a nice opening in place 2 of the ball by Sbertoli. But when Zaksa wakes up, he starts to threaten Trentino Itas in the rear-view mirrors: 17-14 and Lorenzetti stops everything after a 4-1 break in favor of the guests. Nelli enters and blocks for the Trentino 20-15, Sammelvuo stops the game and on the return to the field Kaczmarek puts down the replay of 20-18. Set reopened and in the final Lisinac puts down the 22-19 in favor of the hosts, inside Huber in the center and places the two blocks in a row on Michieletto first and Kaziyski then which are equal: 22-22. The overtaking comes with Bednorz’s block on Lavia and with Kaczmarek’s ace: 22-24. Michieletto cancels the first set ball but the second turns into Zaksa’s victory of the set thanks to Dzavoronok’s serving mistake.
Difficulty
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A partial of 1-5, also thanks to the excellent entry of Norbert Huber in the center for the Zaksa, which completely turned the second set upside down like an omelette. The blow to take for Trento is hard: 1-4 at the start of the third set against Zaksa and Lorenzetti immediately stops the game. Kaziyski tries, with an attack and two aces, to play the charge for Trento who thus regains parity at 6-6. Podrascanin’s ace is worth overtaking Trentino at 10-9 and Bednorz attacks out (12-10), but it’s a third part of a great battle and very balanced (15-13). The tie returns to 15-15 when Janusz blocks Lavia’s lob in the pipe with one hand, but Sliwka attacks out and gives the Trentino team the 19-17. The table is set for another very tight final set: the usual Kaziyski makes 21-19 but the battle goes back to arm when Bednorz knocks down the 21-21 after a long reception by Michieletto. Kaczmarek puts down the reconstruction of the Polish 22-23 but Bednorz immediately misses his serve, Kaziyski takes his advantage to the advantage where practically everything happens. First Trento does not take advantage of a couple of situations to close the set, then Kaczmarek puts in the arrow (27-28) blocking Kaziyski and going to cheer right under the Trentino fans’ stand, then the set ends in favor of the Poles after a hands-out of Bednorz on reconstruction. And now Itas has its back to the wall: down 1-2 they must win 3-2 and then also win the play-off Golden Set if they want to reach the semifinals. The fourth set opens immediately, at 0-0, with a red card to Lisinac by the referee Schimpl, a very hard-fought set (7-7). Balance always reigns supreme (14-14), in the final Podrascanin blocks Kaczmarek for 20-18 forcing Sammelvuo to call a discretionary time-out. On the return to the field comes the ace of 21-18 signed by Michieletto with the help of the tape, unlike the previous partials Zaksa gives something in the break phase (23-20) and Itas sincerely thanks. Last balls, inevitably, to Kaziyski who makes no mistake while Smith shoots out.
Bitter finish
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Thus we go to the fifth set, in which it is a battle right away, from the first exchanges (6-5). Kaziyski needs to be cloned and Lavia finds the ace of 8-5 which sends everyone to change sides, where Trento firmly takes control of the tie-break: 10-5 and Polish time-out. But this set has very little history, Trentino Itas closes it and goes to play everything in the play-off Golden Set. Partial that Trento is unable to bring on his side and greets the Champions League.
March 16 – 11.27pm
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