The people of Belluno do their best, never giving up, but in the end they have to bow to a quality sextet
VOLPIANO (TURIN). Tears and hugs on the last night of the Cortina Express which, in Volpiano, loses 3-0 against BlueTorino who flies in B1. The Lupe are confirmed as a team all heart and lungs, which does not give up until the end. But that must be surrendered to a high-caliber sextet. It started from 3-2 of the first leg in favor of Volpiano’s team. The Belluno people needed to win 3-0 or 3-1, or to win 3-2 and also conquer the golden set. The qualification was anything but downhill even for the Piedmontese, who were still called to win three sets. They succeeded, with a very tight first, a second dominated at times and a third that remained in the balance for a long time. A typical sextet in the Belluno volleyball house, with Mengaziol and Garzaro on the diagonal, Fantinel and Poles on the bands, Fiabane and Chiericati in the center. Free Giulia Pavei. For her, as for another woman from Belluno, Anna Bortoluzzi, it was the last match at the Cortina Express. At the start, the two teams make several mistakes in the service. Belluno grabs the equal on 11-11 and proves to be constantly in the game: Fiabane against the wall is 16-15. And the partial no longer detaches from point to point. At 21-21, Pavei in the service relies on Ingrosso who is not wrong. But on the following 22-21 for the Volpianesi, coach Pavei calls the first timeout of the match. And he is forced to call him back on 24-22, then inserting Fioretti for Poles. An error by Fantinel in the service gives Turin the point of 25-23. The start of the second set is very painful. Immediately below 3-1, the Belluno players stop the game at 8-4 in favor of the hosts.
Ivaldi, with an ace, brings the Turin players up again (+5: 9-4). On 11-5, new time called by coach Pavei. At 13-5, the coach changes the direction by inserting Marchesan for Mengaziol. But BlueTorino is now very much on the verge of winning the set, so much so that it has risen up to +10 (19-9).
The Belluno still finds an ace con Ingrosso, entrance for the service. From 22-12, the Cortina Express shortens by recovering three lengths that lead coach Andreotti to call a first timeout despite the reassuring advantage. At 24-16, Fioretti cancels the first set point but Pesce’s long line doesn’t give the Belluno defense a chance. Change coach Pavei at the start of the third set, deploying Poles in the role of the opposite. The foxes of BlueTorino are still hungry and at the start they immediately go ahead 6-3.
Fioretti is not afraid to shoot (7-6) and keeps the Belluno players in the game, who put their heads forward (9-8), only to have to go back to chasing constantly, even if by one or two lengths at most.
The Volpiano makes a first break (17-14) and climbs up to +5. B.elluno recovers up to -1. Then Volpiano makes 25-20 and celebrates the jump in category. The Cortina Express returns home. Probably more than this (and “this” stands for the incredible vintage of Fantinel e companions) last night could not be done.
«It is clear that there may be some disappointment after this defeat. But pride is much more », comments coach Dario Pavei,« and I hope the girls realize it. We played the playoff final to go to B1. We lost against a team that made little mistakes, but ours was a very long and beautiful season. To the girls I can only say one thing: good ».Nicola Pasuch