Trentino finds early answers in Modena as new faces shine in five-sets victory at Memorial Andrea Parenti
3 min read
Itas Trentino’s first official outing of October delivered far more than a simple preseason result.
In a packed Modena’s PalaPanini, with more than 2,500 spectators in attendance for the second edition of the Memorial Andrea Parenti, the Italian powerhouse showed encouraging signs of depth, adaptability and competitive character by defeating hosts Valsa Group Modena 2-3 (20:25, 25:21, 25:22, 19:25, 8:15) in a hard-fought encounter.
Trentino arrived in Modena still without a complete roster, with French opposite Theo Faure yet to join the group on Tuesday and several international players having trained together for only a handful of sessions.
Nevertheless, the squad managed to build enough chemistry to withstand the pressure of a demanding five-set contest against an opponent that will again be one of its direct rivals in the upcoming SuperLega season.
In just two weeks, the club is scheduled to return to the PalaPanini for its opening SuperLega fixture, making this successful dress rehearsal particularly valuable from both a technical and psychological perspective.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the evening was Trentino’s production at the net. The visitors registered an impressive 14 winning blocks, a statistic that highlighted both individual quality and collective organization. Brazilian middle blocker Flavio and Simon Torwie led the way, combining for nine blocks and repeatedly disrupting Modena’s attacking rhythm. Their presence transformed several crucial rallies and helped swing momentum back in Trentino’s favor during the closing stages of the match.
The performances of the club’s new arrivals were equally noteworthy. Latvian opposite RenÄrs-Pauls Jansons finished with 17 points, attacking at 56 percent efficiency while adding two blocks and an ace. Also Adriano proved highly effective, converting attacks at 63 percent and providing the offensive consistency required in key moments.
Behind them, captain Riccardo Sbertoli delivered a composed and intelligent performance in the setter position, distributing the offense effectively despite the limited amount of collective work completed so far.
Flavio was arguably among the most dominant players on court. The Brazilian middle blocker scored 16 points while finishing with an outstanding 79 percent success rate in attack.
Alessandro Michieletto also produced positive signals in his first two sets on court. The Italian star recorded seven points, posting a 56 percent attacking efficiency while contributing one ace and one block.
Modena also collected several positive individual performances despite the defeat. Italian outside hitter Luca Porro emerged as the match’s leading scorer with 19 points, once again confirming his status as one of the most attacking talents in the league. Middle blocker Pardo Mati added 11 points, while Brazilian outside hitter Arthur Bento contributed 14 and American veteran Thomas Jaeschke finished with 12, ensuring consistent offensive production across the home side’s lineup.
Notably, both teams competed without the players expected to shoulder much of the scoring responsibility during the season. Modena was missing young opposite Mujanovic, while Trentino continued to await the arrival of Faure following his international commitments. Their absences make the offensive numbers produced by both teams even more encouraging at this early stage of preparation.
Valsa Group Modena â Itas Trentino 2-3 (20:25, 25:21, 25:22, 19:25, 8:15)
Valsa Group Modena: Tizi Oualou 5, Bento 14, Jaeschke 12, Porro 19, Russo 4, Mati 11, Perry (L), Barbanti, Di Martino 4, Denina. N.E.: Garello, Tauletta, Menchetti (L), Mujanovic. Coach. Ciamarra.
Itas Trentino: Sbertoli 1, Jansons 17, Michieletto 7, Cavalcante 17, Flavio 16, Nedeljkovic 5, Laurenzano (L), Roberti 5, Torwie 9. N.E.: Zonta, Cavalieri, Gollini (L), Guiotto, Bossi, De Zaiacomo, Lavia. Coach. Mendez.
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