There was bitterness, but also a sense of self-awareness at Domotek Volley after their defeat in Game 1 of the Serie A2 playoff final.
At the PalaBigi, Conad Reggio Emilia prevailed, but coach Antonio Polimeni analyzed his team’s performance with clarity, without hiding his regrets but already looking ahead to the next match.
“We knew we were facing a strong team,” Polimeni began. “They really put us under pressure on serve, while we weren’t as good. We were very faultless and lacked a bit of mental self-management in certain situations.”
Despite the defeat, the Reggio Emilia coach emphasized the positives: “We defended incredibly well, we were impeccable until the second set at 15-all. The first set was spectacular, in the wake of the Coppa Italia final.” Four consecutive aces from the Emilians broke the deadlock in the fourth set: “An incident and a constant that made the difference.”
Polimeni doesn’t look for excuses, but rather acknowledges his team’s extraordinary performance: “Losing only two games in the entire regular season is incredible. The boys deserve spectacular praise. This defeat doesn’t erase everything we’ve accomplished.”
