Grottazzolina's team, which includes national players Iliya Petkov and Georgi Tatarov, suffered its fourth consecutive loss in the Serie A1 championship after falling 1:3 (22:25, 24:26, 25:X) in an away game against Padua, where another Bulgarian national player, Boris Nachev, plays.
The match started evenly, but the hosts managed to go on a run in the middle of the game and took a five-point lead. Although Grottazzolina reduced the deficit to three, Padua maintained control and won the first set.
Georgi Tatarov started the match as a starter but was substituted at the end of the first set and did not start in the second. The second set proceeded with complete parity – ties at 14:14, 16:16, 18:18, 20:20, 23:23, and 24:24. In the decisive moments, the hosts maintained concentration and prevailed with 26:24.
Grottazzolina showed character and won one set after Tatarov re-entered the game. In the fourth set, however, the visitors could not maintain their level and allowed Padua to take the initiative and close out the match.
Grottazzolina's setter had a weak performance, as their inaccurate decisions at the end of the last set cost the team a chance to get back into the match.
Match statistics
| Player | Team | Points | Aces | Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mattia Oriali | Padua | 21 | - | - |
| Mohammad Golzadeh | Grotazzolina | 23 | 2 | 1 |
| Iliya Petkov | Grotazzolina | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Georgi Tatarov | Grotazzolina | 9 | - | - |
| Boris Nachev | Padua | 0 | - | - |
Iranian opposite Mohammad Golzadeh was once again Grotazzolina's leader and main source of points. The Bulgarians performed steadily – Iliya Petkov showed efficiency at the net, and Tatarov contributed nine points, albeit with fluctuations in attack organization. For Padua, a key figure was Mattia Orioli, who carried the match on his back with 21 points. Boris Nachev appeared in the third game but did not make an impact in offense.
photos:legavolley.it
