For the fourteenth consecutive season (the sixteenth overall) Itas Trentino will be among the protagonists of the Italian Cup Final Four. The ticket for the weekend of February 25-26 at the PalaEur in Rome, which will award the 45th edition of the top national trophy, was detached tonight thanks to the 3-1 success in Modena in the single match of the quarter-finals; in the semifinals the opponent to face will be the winner of Civitanova-Milan (who compete in the Marche on Thursday evening).
The Gialloblù formation achieved this umpteenth great corporate result by subverting the home factor; as happened two months earlier, the PalaPanini has turned into a terrain of conquest for Kaziyski and his companions, capable of fighting, keeping up with an opponent in form like the Valsa Group and coming out of the distance, demonstrating all their worth. After a difficult first set from all points of view and clearly lost, Lorenzetti’s team was able to get back on top, suffer and relax more and more thanks to their great character and desire to react in the final; qualities that served to win the tug of war implemented during the second set (won to the advantages), but also to resist the numerous comeback attempts of the locals in the following fractions. On the shields once again Captain Kaziyski (scored 22 times with 48% in attack, a block and two aces), absolute mvp and emblem of how a game that started badly can be transformed into an important success. Behind him, a gigantic Podrascanin (5 blocks, with 56% in the first half and an always sharp serve), a decisive Michieletto in the important moments of the three victories (12 points) and a Lavia who grounded 13 balls and held the shock wave of the local joke, imitated by Laurenzano (very active in defense). There couldn’t have been a better ending than the calendar year 2022 and 2023 promises to still give satisfaction and emotions.
Valsa Group Modena-Itas Trentino 1-3
(25-17, 26-28, 22-25, 20-25)
VALSA GROUP: Bruno 3, Ngapeth 18, Sanguinetti 6, Lagumdzija 15, Rinaldi 12, Stankovic 6, Rossini (L); Salsi, Sala 6, Marechak, Krick 1. N.e. Gollini, Bossi e Malavasi. All. Andrea Giani.
ITAS TRENTINO: Sbertoli 1, Michieletto 12, Lisinac 7, Kaziyski 22, Lavia 13, Podrascanin 10, Laurenzano (L); Džavoronok, Pace, Nelli. N.e. D’Heer, Cavuto, Berger e Depalma. All. Angelo Lorenzetti.
ARBITRI: Puecher di Rubano (Padova) e Cesare di Roma.
DURATA SET: 23’, 34’, 32’, 28’; tot 1h e 57’.
NOTE: 4.400 spettatori, incasso non comunicato. Valsa Group: 10 muri, 4 ace, 18 errori in battuta, 9 errori azione, 42% in attacco, 44% (21%) in ricezione. Itas Trentino: 10 muri, 4 ace, 12 errori in battuta, 12 errori azione, 42% in attacco, 42% (17%) in ricezione. Mvp Kaziyski.
