A last call and the privilege of living it as the host team. Less than a week after the defeat suffered on the field of Puliservice Acqua San Bernardo Cuneo (3-0), ABBA Pineto regains the Del Monte® Coppa Italia Serie A2 and, above all, embraces the public of the Pala Santa Maria again. Tomorrow (Saturday), at 8.00 pm, the white and blues will take to the field for game 2 of the round of 16. Only one way forward: winning, an obligatory condition to put the series back in balance and extend it until the decisive race-3 of the following weekend, again in Piedmont.
Matteo Paris and his teammates start again from the volleyball shown between the second and third sets at the home of the Cuneo team: the partial scores (25-23 and 25-22) give the dimension of the vigorous performance offered by Pineto, capable, for the umpteenth time in the season, of put one of the best teams in the league in difficulty. To add emotional and mental charge to the Abruzzo people there is the precedent in the regular season at Pala Santa Maria: a huge success (3-2) which came on January 28th and which started the sprint-to-salvation under the guidance of the coach Cezar Douglas Silva.
“We had been without official matches for three weeks and this certainly made itself felt – says the young center back Rok Jeroncic on the eve of game 2 – as we were a bit out of rhythm. In addition to this, in my opinion we didn’t immediately take to the pitch with the right attitude, even if we gradually improved during the match. Furthermore, playing in Cuneo, in such a large sports hall and with an atmosphere emotionally unbalanced in their favor, certainly had an influence.”
The series moves to the Pala Santa Maria, ready to boil and dye itself blue-white. “When we play at home the situation changes,” confirms Jeroncic. “Our audience is fired up and this represents an undeniable point in our favor. On the field we expect a hard-fought match, felt by both sides: they want to end the discussion, we will do everything to bring the series to game 3. We will give it our all as always, confident that our fans will make themselves heard in the stands.”
The winner of the series between ABBA Pineto and Puliservice Acqua San Bernardo Cuneo will face Delta Group Porto Viro in the quarter-finals of the Del Monte® Coppa Italia.
TICKETS. At Pala Santa Maria tomorrow (Saturday) match starts at 8pm. Tickets on sale on the Ciaotickets circuit (online and in affiliated sales points) or at the sports hall on the day of the race. Please note that the season ticket purchased for the championship is not valid for entry to the Pala Santa Maria in the Italian Cup matches.
