Applause for Rana Verona, which prevails over Cucine Lube Civitanova and lines up its third consecutive victory at this start of the season. Coach Stoytchev’s team shows off a solid choral performance in the umpteenth act of this crossover. It attacks its opponents in the decisive moments, led by an overwhelming Keita, capable of scoring 27 times and winning the third consecutive MVP award. The Scaligeri, also thanks to an effective counterattack, thus rose to 8 points in the standings, acquiring a good dose of awareness given the next match on the Milan court.
Coach Stoytchev confirms the sextet of the last round, with Abaev as director and Jensen completing the diagonal. On the wing, there is space for the Keita-Dzavoronok pair, with Vitelli and Cortesia at center, and D’Amico in the libero role. The guests start better and with the first time of Chinenyeze, they go to 0-2. D’Amico sacrifices himself in defense and Dzavoronok places the ball for the equalizer (3-3). Lube goes back on top, Jensen sews up with his left hand, but Boninfante’s block is worth the +3 (6-9). Abaev relies on Keita’s effective play to recover ground, and Verona falls back to a score of minus one (12-13). The Marche maintains the minimum advantage and restores the balance with Jensen’s mani out. Hossein finds the ace for 17-19, but the Scaligeri rise again. Dzavoronok goes strong from position four, then takes it upon himself from nine meters to overtake (23-22). Keita finishes the match with a sharp diagonal shot that causes the crowd to erupt in excitement, ending the score at 25-23.
Vitelli’s soft touch responds to the ace of the cooks, who then raise their voices at the block with Podrascanin, but the award-winning Abaev-Dzavoronok duo turns the partial around (5-4). Bottolo closes a long exchange in the pipe and allows his team to go up by two, with the subsequent block by Loeppky worth 5-8. Lube increases the gap, but Keita takes advantage of a loose ball and unleashes his power, closing the gap. Cortesia is no less from position three (10-12). Jensen finds the far corner; Keita scores the ace and Dzavoronok finds the right gap: Verona is alive (14-15). Civitanova extends its lead, first with a direct point from Loeppky’s service, who then holds serve, followed by Bottolo’s attack (15-20). The Canadian effectively concludes the match, which ends at 17-25.
Verona started strong in their return to the field, with an unstoppable Keita scoring to make it 3-0. Cortesia prints a great wall that launches the hosts towards an escape attempt, but the red and white troop does not give up, and dragged by the usual Loeppky they come back in the score twice (7-6). Monster block by Podrascanin, followed by the Canadian’s ace, and the guests go back ahead (9-11). Stoytchev’s team does not give up and soon returns to raise the level: Keita pushes under the net, Cortesia unleashes all his power after an incorrect defense by the cooks, then stops Loeppky with a wall to frame for 17-14. Dzavoronok also scores for 19-15. Keita hits hard and leaves no escape to the opposing defense for 24-19. Loeppy cancels the first set point, but an error by the guests in serving gives the set to the Verona team (25-23).
The usual Keita starts the fourth set and quickly repeats himself, with Lube immediately regaining momentum and taking the lead (5-6). Verona counter-overtakes with Jensen’s shots, precise with his hands on the wall for 10-8 in favor of Stoytchev’s boys. It is a phase in which balance reigns, trying to break Bottolo from the second line (11-12). Dzavoronok takes the stage: first, he prints a great mani out on the suggestion of an improvised setter Keita, then he stops Lube in the center (15-13). Keita flies, and chooses the long line first and then the diagonal twice: Verona takes the lead 19-14. Abaev comes in for the service and doesn’t let go. Keita takes center stage again, overwhelming the red-and-white defense, which struggles to cope. And he could only put the seal on the challenge, with yet another master stroke of his evening. Rana Verona flies with its Aquila del Mali.
SCORESHEET
Rana Verona-Cucine Lube Civitanova 3–1 (25-23; 17-25; 25-23; 25-14)
Rana Verona: Abaev, Jensen 15, Keita 27, Dzavoronok 13, Cortesia 5, Vitelli 4, D’Amico (L), Spirito, Sani, Mozic, Chevalier, Zingel, Zanotti, Bonisoli (L). Coach Stoytchev
Cucine Lube Civitanova: Boninfante 3, Lagumdzija 10, Bottolo 18, Loeppky 15, Podrascanin 8, Chinenyeze 7, Balaso (L), Orduna, Dirlic, Hossein 1, Nikolov, Gargiulo 3, Tenorio, Bisotto (L). All. Medei
Referees: Carcione (1st), Caretti (2nd), Jacobacci (3rd)
Videocheck Officer: Gioia
Set duration: 31’; 31’, 41’, 32’; total: 2h 15’
Attack: Rana Verona 52%; Cucine Lube Civitanova 43%
Reception: Rana Verona 48%; Cucine Lube Civitanova 49%
Blocks: Rana Verona 6; Cucine Lube Civitanova 8
Aces: Rana Verona 2; Cucine Lube Civitanova 6
Spectators: 3536
MVP: Noumory Keita
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