Itas Trentino – PGE Projekt Warszawa (POL) 2-3 (23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 21-25, 12-15) – Golden Set: 11-15 – Itas Trentino: Bristot 1, Pesaresi, Sbertoli 1, Ramón Ferragut 16, Garcia Fernandez, Faure 34, Laurenzano (L), Lavia 20, Gualberto 7, Torwie 9. N.E. Boschini, Sandu, Bartha, Acquarone. All. Mendez. PGE Projekt Warszawa (POL): Kochanowski 9, Firlej 1, Tillie 15, Semeniuk 15, Bednorz 16, Gomułka 24, Wojtaszek (L), Firszt 1, Weber 1, Kozlowski. N.E. Klos, Koppers, Strulak. Coach: Nalepka. REFEREES: Ovuka, Miklosic. NOTES – Set length: 33′, 30′, 28′, 35′, 18′; GS: 24′; total: 168′. Itas Trentino: 24 incorrect serves, 9 winners – PGE Projekt Warszawa (POL): 18 incorrect serves, 3 winners.
Trentino Itas’s quest to reach the CEV Champions League Final Four comes to a halt in the playoffs (the Round of 16). Marcelo Mendez’s team, playing the return match at the BTS Arena against PGE Project Warszawa, a team they defeated 3-2 in Poland a week ago, missed out on a Golden Set qualification, which would have rewarded the Poles.
The first set, a very close one, saw Warsaw prevail, with Trento taking the second and third sets before being rallied by Tillie and her teammates, who staged a decisive comeback in the Golden Set, which secured Nalepka’s team a place in the quarterfinals. Trailing 7-4, the Polish team closed out the set with a 15-11 victory.
Theo Faure was the top scorer of the night, with 34 total points, followed by Gomulka (24) and Daniele Lavia (20). Jordi Ramon and Theo Faure stood out on serve (three aces each), while Yurii Semeniuk recorded five blocks.
Trento’s attention is now focused on the Credem Banca playoffs: after suffering a defeat in Game 1 of the quarterfinals, Riccardo Sbertoli and his teammates are expected on Sunday, March 15th, at the Eurosuole Forum against Cucine Lube Civitanova, valid for Game 2. This is the perfect opportunity for the Dolomites to level the series.
