A truly lion-like performance. Matteo Mancinelli, spiker for Domotek Volley Reggio Calabria, put in the final playoff match, calling it the finest performance of his career. And it’s no coincidence. The Castelferretti native literally carried his team, showcasing not only his renowned offensive skills but also his iron defense, taking the ball with his body and face like rarely seen before.
At the end of the match, a fired-up Mancinelli, with his feet firmly on the ground, analyzed the victory and the feelings he felt in a heated Palacalafiore.
“Yes, we can say it, it was the finest performance of my career. Wonderful. For now,” he began with a smile, before analyzing the match. “We knew they were bigger and definitely hit harder, but we managed to contain them and play our game. We pushed hard on the serve and we did well; we were a team.”
One of the keys to the success was the determination shown by the defense, with Mancinelli leading the way. “I don’t know if it’s more beautiful than the Coppa Italia, because that’s historic, but it’s definitely more determined,” he added.
The Marche-born winger then emphasized the thrill of playing in certain events and his relationship with the Reggio Calabria crowd. “When I play, I give it my all, especially in these games that anyone in this arena would have wanted to play in. We’re lucky to be able to play them and have this crowd. It’s a great thing, even though I think we can still ‘break through’ with them, because there’ll be Game 4 to do that.”
Game 4 is already in his sights. “We hope to get there with a win in the series, so we can get to the decisive game. We’ll celebrate, but we absolutely mustn’t get too big for our buck. We haven’t done anything yet; in fact, we’re tied.”
Surprisingly, Mancinelli revealed he wasn’t sure he’d be a starter until the end, due to Enrico Zappoli’s injury. “I didn’t expect it. Enrico was sick on Tuesday and Wednesday, but I knew I had to give everything for the team, even if it was just for one training session. I couldn’t wait to get on the pitch. On the bench in Reggio Emilia, I knew I’d rock the world. I proved it today, but there’s another game on Sunday.”
