In the 10th match of the second half of the Italian men's volleyball league Serie A, Takahashi Ai's team, Padova (10th place), played against Trento (3rd place) at home on Sunday, March 5th local time, and lost 1-3 (27-25, 22-25, 21-25, 27-29).
Takahashi started in the game and scored 17 points, second highest on the team.
The Padua venue was packed with 4,000 fans, filling the venue with excitement as the opponent was the popular Trento, which has many Italian national team players.
Also, as a result of other matches played on the same day, Padova's chances of finishing last in the regular season were eliminated, and they were confirmed to remain in the league.
First set starting lineup
Padua
OH: Gardini (Italy), Takahashi (Japan)
MB: Canella (Italy), Crosato (Italy)
OP: Petkovic (Serbia)
S: Saitta (Italy)
L: Zenger (Germany)
Torrent
OH: Micheletto (Italy), Lavia (Italy)
MB: Podrascanin (Serbia), Lisinac (Serbia)
OP: Kaziyski (Bulgaria)
S: Sbertori (Italy)
L: Laurenzano (Italy)
*Positions: OH = outside hitter, MB = middle blocker, OP = opposite, S = setter, L = libero
The stats for this match areHere
Match Report
In the first set, S. Saitta started off with successive blocks from OH Micheletto, and then MB Crossart scored a service ace, giving Padua a 3-0 lead.
However, with an ace from MB Podrascanin and a spike from OH Michelet, Trent tied the score at 9-9, and the game continued to be closely fought with no clear advantage from there.
Padova scored points with OP Petkovic and OH Takahashi, while Trent scored points with OP Kaziyski and MB Podrascanin.
In the final minutes, OH Gardini scored a service ace to give Padova a three-point lead at 20-17, and Padova maintained their lead and reached the first set point at 24-22.
However, OH Micheletto scored a spike point and the match went into deuce at 24-24.
However, at the end, Trent made several spike errors and Padua took the set 27-25.
In the second set, Trent succeeded in breaking early with a block from OH Micheletto, a spike from OH Lavia, and a service ace from OP Kaziyski, widening the lead to 7-11.
After that, Padova also closed the gap to 18-19 with a spike from OP Petkovic and a service ace from OH Gardini, but Trento again extended their lead to 18-22 with consecutive spikes from OP Kaziyski and a block from MB Podrascanin.
OH Takahashi also scored a service ace from Trent's set point, but in the end, OP Kaziski scored a solid spike and Trent took the set 22-25.
In the third set, Padova started with MB Volpato (Italy), who had entered the match midway through the second set.
In the early stages, Padua took a break with block points from both MB Crossart and MB Volpado's middles to take a 7-5 lead.
Shortly afterwards, Trento's L. Laurenzano injured his wrist and was replaced by L. Domenico (Italy), but from there Trento managed to turn the game around with a block from MB Lisinac and other help to lead 7-8.
After that, the game continued to be close with the score not allowing the score to be decided, but after a rally, OP Kaziyski's spike gave Trent a 3-point lead at 18-21, and then OH Micheletto scored consecutive sharp pipe attacks to take the lead at 20-24 and grab the set point.
At the end, OP Kaziyski again finished off the set with a perfect spike, and Trent took the set 21-25.
In the fourth set, Padua brought MB Canella back into the starting lineup.
From the beginning, Padova made multiple breaks with spikes from OP Petkovic and took the lead at 9-6, but right after that, OP Kaziyski scored three consecutive spikes and Trent tied the score at 9-9.
Continuing this momentum, Trent took the lead 13-16 with an ace from OH Micheletto and an attack from OH Lavia.
The game went into the final stages with Trent leading 20-22, but then OH Takahashi's spike and a block to stop OP Kaziyski gave Padova consecutive points to tie the score at 22-22. Then, with a block from MB Crosart and a service ace from OP Petkovic, Padova advanced to 24-22 and reached set point.
However, OP Kaziski's spike tied the score at 24-24 and the game went into deuce, but in the end, Trento scored consecutive points with a block from S. Sbertori and a spike from OH Micheletto, and took the set 27-29, winning the set against Padua 1-3.
MVP: OP Matej Kaziyski (25 points (1 serve, 1 block), attack success rate 61%)
Takahashi Ai was second on the team with 17 points (1 serve and 1 block), with an attack success rate of 561 TP3T and a serve receive success rate of 391 TP3T.
As a result, Padova remains in 10th place with 7 wins, 14 losses and 18 points. Also, in a match played on the same day, 12th place Siena lost 0-3, eliminating any chance of overtaking Padova regardless of the result of next week's final match, so Padova has remained in the league.
Next week, the team's final regular season match will be an away game against 6th-placed Piacenza on Sunday, March 12th, at 18:00 local time (2:00 am Japan time).
Match Report
In the first half of the match, Padova was beaten badly by Trento, but that result was due to the mysterious decision to pull Takahashi out early and not let him back on the court even after his team's reception broke down, so I was looking forward to seeing how this match would turn out.
Then, right from the start, Saitta made successive blocks on Micheletto (height difference of about 20cm), and Crossart got a service ace, and things were going well.
Furthermore, opposite Petkovic was reliable on the day, scoring many difficult balls, and Takahashi's decision-making ability was as strong as ever.
I thought Petkovic put in a particularly great performance that day, especially with his service ace at the end of the fourth set.
When these two wheels work together, Padua becomes strong.
On the other hand, Trent's roughness, especially from Micheletto, was evident in the early stages of the game, with many noticeable spike errors at crucial moments.
He missed his spike in the first set and on set point.
Among them, Emperor Kaziyski (38 years old) maintained his good form from start to finish.
The oldest player on the court was unstoppable.
No, really, when I watched it, I just thought it was a monster (and that's the highest compliment I can give).
He turns even the most difficult balls into points one after another.
This player was the only one whose ball made a different sound when he was hitting at full power.
I think it's thanks to this veteran's consistent performance that the 21-year-old Micheletto has been able to gradually regain his form.
Come to think of it, in last week's Coppa Italia final, while the other younger players, many years older than him, were sluggish after playing a full set semi-final the day before, it was Kaziski who was the only one scoring lots of points with his sharp play.
He's getting old and there's been talk of him retiring soon, but if he keeps playing like this I think he can go on for at least another three seasons.
The one who finished off Kaziyski with a block in the 4th set was 21-year-old Japan's Takahashi Ai.
Three players jumped to block the ball, making a brilliant block of the ball that was fired in a highly cross direction.
A similar situation arose in the fourth set when Padua had a set point at 24-23 and was on the verge of going to a long set.
However, at that time, Takahashi seemed to be wary of Kaziyski's block out, and he tactically withdrew his hand at the last moment.
Then, Kaziyski's spike went in over the withdrawn hand, making the score 24-24, and Trent won the match.
That scene was definitely the moment that decided the fate of the match, and at the same time, it was the moment I felt the difference in experience between the two players and the awesomeness of Kaziyski.
Takahashi himself was also very disappointed about this incident after the match.
However, I believe that Kaziyski overcame those regrets many times to become the great player he is today, so I hope Takahashi will continue to overcome such obstacles and continue to grow.
But for now, it's a relief that we've stayed in the league.
Congratulations Padua!!
So next week I want them to go all out against Coppa Italia champions Piacenza with no pressure!!!
Photo: Lega Pallovolo Serie A
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