Italy's champion Trento qualified for the Final Four of the Italian Cup after a convincing 3:0 (25:13, 25:19, 25:19) victory against Monza in a match played at the BTS Arena in Trento. The match ended extremely quickly – in just 1 hour and 14 minutes. In the semifinals in Bologna, the team from Trento will await the winner of the clash between Piacenza and Modena.
How the match unfolded
The first set was completely one-sided. Trento imposed a devastating serve and a solid block, built a significant early lead, and closed the set with ease at 25:13. Michieletto and Bartha dominated in attack, while Monza never found its rhythm.
In the second set, the guests tried to be more aggressive, but a series of errors and the hosts' stable play in crucial moments once again tipped the scales. Trento maintained a 3–4 point lead and closed the set at 25:19.
The third set was the most evenly matched at the start, with Monza even taking a brief lead. After the middle of the set, however, the champions pushed with their serve, improved their blocking, and gradually pulled away. An ace from Michieletto brought the first match point, and after a service out, the match concluded at 25:19.
Top Scorers
| Team | Player | Points | Ace | Block |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trentino | Alessandro Michieletto | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| Trentino | Théo Faure | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| Trentino | Flávio | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| Monza | Eric Röhrs | 11 | 1 | 0 |
Michieletto was Trento's most consistent scorer and provided significant momentum with his serve. Faure and Flávio complemented the attack excellently, with center Flávio also playing a key role in blocking. For Monza, the only player with a double-digit score was Röhrs, which clearly highlights the visitors' difficulties in attack.
For the Bulgarians, the match was not among the strongest. Martin Atanasov started as a starter but finished with a modest 2 points from attack, while Jasmin Velichkov, who came on as his substitute in the second and third sets, failed to score.
Team Statistics
| Stat | Trentino | Monza |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 8 | 3 |
| Blocks | 7 | 3 |
Comment:
Trentino's superiority in serving and blocking was decisive. The difference of +5 aces and +4 blocks fully explains the clean score and the swift end to the match.
Thus, champions Trentino confidently advance to the final four, where in Bologna they will face the winner of Piacenza – Modena.
