Akademia Città di Messina vs Lpm Bam Mondovì 0-3 (23-25, 24-26, 21-25)
Akademia City of Messina: Battista 7, Martinelli 12, Catania 6, Ciancio 0, Modestino 3, Felappi ne, Mearini ne, Payne 5, Joly 7, Rossetto 4, Maggipinto (L) 0, Galletti 2, Michelini 0, Zangrandi (L) 0. All F. Bonafede, Ass. F. Ferrara.
Lpm Bam Mondovì: Allasia 4, Lux 16, Marengo ne, Koulibaly 1, Lapini 0, Farina 10, Pizzolato ne, Grigolo 5, Riparbelli 3, Tellone (L) 0, Decortes 14, Manig 0. All. C.Basso, Ass. R. Fat
Refereei: Sergio Pecoraro and Giorgia Spinnicchia
Set duration: 24', 26', 22'
MVP by Cantine Madaudo: Clara Decortes (Lpm Bam Mondovì)
“Top Blocker Akademia” Award by AU 750 Il Compro Oro: Melissa Martinelli (Akademia Città Di Messina)
The Promotion Pool closes with a defeat, Akademia Città Di Messina, who, on the day of the start of Akademia Sport and Music and the success of the Rosa Chemical showcase in the pre-match, lost to “PalaRescifina” (0-3) with Lpm Bam Mondovì. A match of little importance for the purposes of the standings, both for the hosts, now certain of third place in the final, and for the Piedmontese team, who for a few weeks have been certain of not being able to get back into the play-off grid.
Coach Basso's girls repeat the success of the first leg, obtained at the “PalaManera” (it ended in a tie-break), not conceding anything to the Messina team (who put a lot of heart into it but appear weighed down, due to the call for athletic training this week just concluded and in view of the next phase) while also taking the satisfaction of being the second team – after Perugia – to violate the Akademia taraflex this season. On the home front, a painless defeat in a match considered transitional and preparatory to the play-offs starting next Sunday.
In the starting six, for Messina coach Bonafede lines up Galletti as director, Payne as his opposite, Martinelli and Modestino as central defenders, Rossetto and Battista in place 4, Maggipinto as libero. For Mondovì, coach Basso sends Allasia as director, Decortes opposite him, Farina and Riparbelli in central positions, Lux and Grigolo in place 4, Tellone as libero.
Also in this home round, an athlete from the youth sector on the bench with Messina; with the jersey of the second libero Greta Zangrandi, born in '09.
In the first set, sprint at the start of Messina with Martinelli (2) and quickly recovered by the guests. Mondovì overtakes on an error by Battista and a second team touch by Allasia (7-9). Battista with an ace and Martinelli in the offensive phase manage to regain parity (9-9). Mondovì keeps ahead; It's Battista on the pipe, after an exciting long rally, who slows down the guests (12-12). Messina is unable to detach their opponents and on Decortes' ace, coach Bonafede stops the game (13-14). The guests gain a lead, Joly replaces Payne, but with the new time-out (17-21), Bonafede's girls close ranks, moving up and gaining parity (21-21). Mondovì ahead again but the fundamental of the serve decides the end. Joly catches her opponents with an ace (23-23), then misses the next serve, sending her opponents one ball from the set (23-24). Allasia takes care of it, again from nine meters, to close the score (23-25). Best scorer, Lux with 8 points; 10 errors by Messina, 7 by Mondovì.
In the second set, the starting sextets confirmed. Lux and an out attack by Rossetto allow Mondovì to put the lead ahead (4-5). Battista, first diagonally from place 4 and followed by a slash ball, gives Messina the counter-overtake (7-6). Sudden changes in front and the match still balanced in the initial stages (8-8) and which continues until the Messina break and maximum advantage which materializes on Decortes' error (13-9). The guests manage to recover and coach Bonafede stops the game (15-16). Catania takes over Modestino and first passes quickly, then with an ace (19-18). On Grigolo's error in attack, coach Basso spends a time-out (20-18). Mondovì comes back again and takes the lead with a pipe from Lux (21-22). Battista responds, still in pipe, while Payne climbs higher than everyone and places the overtaking move (23-22); coach Basso interrupts the game. Martinelli drops a block and Messina wins a set ball wasted by Ciancio on serve and entered, in the meantime, on Martinelli (24-24). Payne sends it long from place two (24-25); this time it is coach Bonafede who stops the game. Farina takes care of lowering the block that brings Mondovì to 0-2. Best scorer of the partial, Decortes with 6 points; 9 errors for Messina, 13 for Mondovì.
In the third set, balanced start (8-8) until a break by Mondovì who with Lux breaks away from Messina (9-13). Decortes revs up (3) and Mondovì takes the maximum advantage (10-17), coach Bonafede changes Galletti as director. Koulibaly takes over Lux, Messina is unable to recover the deficit and Mondovì takes off (15-21). Martinelli fuels Messina's hopes, Koulibaly, in for Lux, finds a cunning hand out. Messina goes back up with Catania, Martinelli (3), Joly and a few errors from too many opponents, but it's now too late; a deep attack from Farina put an end to it (21-25). Best scorer of the partial, Decortes with 6 points; 8 errors for Messina, 5 for Mondovì.
MVP of the match, Clara Decortes (Mondovì) with Kristin Lux Top Spiker at 16 points. Overall, 27 errors for Messina, 25 for Mondovì
In the post-match press conference, these are the statements from coach Fabio Bonafede: “I feel the public's disappointment and I'm sorry, but the important race will be another. The team made mistakes in some situations, even if they played; I don't feel like saying the opposite. I said it after the first match: Mondovì is a team that deserves much more than the rankings say; they played without pressure and it showed. On our side, the full stadium and having to somehow give demonstrations, even if there was no need, made us lose clarity, not so much in the block-defense correlations because I am convinced that we played well, but in the easy balls. Tonight we made a lot of attacking solutions wrong in free ball and, when it happens, all that remains is to put the match aside and move on. The important match is next week; in the last one we also prepared physically by doing athletic recall until yesterday because it was necessary to do it in view of next week. Everyone always likes to win but tonight it wasn't possible. Let's bring home what good has been done.”