Tonazzo Padova – Calzedonia Verona 1-3
(25-20, 26-28, 24-26, 20-25)
Tonazzo Padova: Orduna 2, Giannotti 20, Gozzo 4, Volpato 9, Averill 7, Lazzaretto 6, Bassanello (L); Leoni 1, Diamantini 5, Costa 1. DNP: Bacchin. Coach: Valerio Baldovin.
Calzedonia Verona: Zingel 10, Gitto 8, Baranowicz 3, Bellei 6, Bucko 14, Savani 17, Frigo (L); Pesaresi (L), Lecat 14, Spirito 2, Zanini. Coach: Matteo De Cecco.
For this friendly against Verona, Padova had to make do without spiker Berger, who’s recovering from an ankle sprain, and Cook (knee inflammation), while Balaso, Milan and Quiroga are still with their national teams. Still, led by an excellent Giannotti (50% in attack), the hosts too the first set. Coach Baldovin tried a few different things in the following two sets with Leoni setter and Diamantini in the middle. Verona just clinched those by the minimum margin before imposing its game in the fourth thanks to an excellent Savani (52% in attack).
Meanwhile, Italy’s Under 21 team in which there are Balaso, Milan and Zoppellari were knocked out by Russia and will now play for fifth place in the World Championships in Mexico.
