He scored 11 points with a 52% attacking percentage in the Sabaudia match. No aces, but his serves still challenged the opponent’s reception and earned valuable points. Among the best players last Sunday for ErmGroup Altotevere was Niccolò Cappelletti, whose main merit was his ability to hit in key moments of the match: the Perugian spiker, who has been with the white-and-blue team for four seasons, proved to be a reliable attacker from both the first and second lines. And judging by the team’s performance, it seems the long break has revitalized Altotevere. “One thing is certain: we trained non-stop,” Cappelletti recalls, “aside from weekends spent with family. We then took a couple of joint tests to stay in match rhythm, so we rested and at the same time didn’t disconnect. We also worked well mentally, so we took the court with a clear idea and in the end we were incisive, clinical, and precise. In short, we won with our heads.” An ErmGroup very similar to the exceptional positive streak of the first leg. “Yes, I really think we’re back to the way we were back then,” Cappelletti remarks, “because it was evident in our approach to the game and also in our feelings: the most important thing was that we always had control of the situation. Each of us gave their all, and it’s right to highlight the performance of our two liberos, Pochini and Chiella, who were truly excellent.” Reminding him of his valuable contribution to the team’s cause, including a few shots on the pipes like the “specialist” Alpini, Cappelletti admits: “I’m very satisfied with my performance; I was looking for it, and I’m approaching the playoffs with great maturity, capitalizing on past experience. As for the pipes, they’re becoming our winning weapon: the success rate with this technique is high.” Regarding Viridex Sabaudia, the Perugian player expresses a reserved assessment: “They undoubtedly boast good individual players, like Onwuelo and Panciocco, but at least last Sunday I didn’t see much cohesion, and every game is a story in itself, especially in the playoffs.” Therefore, no objective has yet been achieved: “We need to reset everything to repeat our performance, knowing that we might also face a different match than the one we played.
