Super League volleyball, Modena beats Verona. Trento beats Taranto in the 5th set

Previews of the second day of the Super League championship. Tomorrow at 3pm Volleyball-Padova, at 4.30pm Milan-Piacenza, at 7.30pm Monza-Perugia, at 9pm Catania-Cisterna.

Verona-Modena 2-3 (25-23, 25-17, 20-25, 23-25, 11-15)

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Modena does it again: comeback victory this time away on the pitch of a tough Verona who seemed to already have the victory in their pocket. Two sets of Venetian domination with Rok Mozic sumptuous in the first set (8 points) and Amin and Dzavoronok replacing him in the second. Overall a more square team, present and pressing against the block with a Modena too light and absent-minded to keep up with the pace of Stoytchev’s boys. Sapozhkov not bad, Juantorena in trouble and Bruno often replaced by a good Boninfante who lacks a bit of experience. It seems like a one-sided match with Verona clearly ahead in terms of play and organization compared to an all-too-hesitant Modena. But with Modena it is difficult to trust and the third set begins with full yellows which surprise the home team, perhaps convinced a little too early that they have won the match. Sapozhkov grows and even on the block the yellows finally begin to take the measures of the Venetian attack. But above all it is an excellent Rinaldi with eight points and the attack loaded on his shoulders who drags the Valsa Group who at times finds themselves ahead by up to seven and comfortably closes the set which puts them back in the game. Verona learns the lesson and starts at full speed in the fourth, hammering from the serve and more attentive in defense and blocking. Modena remains in the game with the usual Rinaldi but has few options in attack. The turning point on the 20th when Modena overtakes with Juantorena and Stankovic completes the job. Sanguinetti closes for the tie break. Hard-fought tie break in which the experience of Bruno and his teammates wins with Sapozhkov growing again and Verona in evident physical decline holding on to only Mozic.

Trento-Taranto 3-2 (25-16, 23-25, 18-25, 26-24, 15-8)

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For the second time in two Super League days the tie break smiles at Itas Trentino. After the hard-earned debut victory on the Cisterna court, coach Fabio Soli’s team also replicates in the first ever home win on the Italian court, truly overcoming Gioiella Prisma Taranto with enormous effort in the fifth set. First point in the championship for the Apulians who have something to eat because they were ahead 2-1 in the sets in the fourth set and were not cynical enough in the final part to take home the entire stake. Two sextets still not in top condition but protagonists of an extremely hard-fought and balanced match. At the start the sextets are those expected on the eve, with Russell opposite for Taranto and Trento in the typical sextet. At the ready, the hosts were the first to break the balance, extending the lead to 9-5. They are in the break phase and in that ball change the home team shows they have more fuel (16-11), we can find a margin of advantage large enough to always keep the reins of the game firmly in hand (22-13). Having sealed the first set well, thirty starts on the right foot in the second set too but soon Taranto manages to reverse the trend against the Suns at 9 to 10 and has to call a timeout, Taranto’s quality of ball exchange has definitely improved and this second set is played on the balance tracks up to 20 even. In the hard-fought final, Russell’s attack and Michieletto’s attacking error establish the tie, one set on each side. For the former, the magic moment continues at the beginning of the third set, also thanks to a few too many errors from the hosts (7-11 with an ace from Lanza). Russell really does everything well while at Trento it is only Michieletto who leads the charge (12-17). The new coach from Trentino inserts Acquarone as dribbler and Nelli as opposite, the setup of the set does not change and the Apulians go on to impose themselves without too many worries. We return to seeing some balance on the pitch only during the fourth set, after a start with extensions and against the big men on both sides, in the long run the score essentially returns to parity until 23-23. We go to the advantages where the winning move was found by Itas Trentino thanks to a final error by DeHaro. In the decisive tie break comes a series of excellent things done by the hosts, they manage to go ahead 9 to 6, when serving in Taranto they risk everything finding excellent answers but it is the Luxembourg opposite of the hosts who keep Itas ahead by three lengths. Kozamernik’s block on Gutierrez puts Trento ahead 13 to 8, which was decisive for a long time to gain another two precious and hard-earned points. (Nicola Baldo)