In the end, all's well that ends well: in a sold-out Palatigliana that recorded more spectators than the football derby on Saturday, Shedirpharma Sorrento wins 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-14, 25-19) against QuantWare Napoli, in the playoff to avoid the playouts and secures the eighth place in the final standings of the A3 blue group volleyball tournament.
The final eighth place with 31 points in 24 matches (12 victories) is the best among those achieved so far by the peninsular team which had finished the regular season in ninth place with 29 points in 24 matches (10 victories) in 2022 and in tenth place with 32 points in 26 matches (10 victories) in 2023. Unfortunately, despite having obtained 12 victories in 24 matches, Shedirpharma was not able to catch the promotion playoffs, something that was achieved by Lecce (35 points) and Modica (34 points) both with only 11 wins. Two factors penalized Sorrento during the year: the too many ups and downs recorded even within the same match and the series of six consecutive defeats at the beginning of the return round that took Sorrento out of the playoff zone.
Even with Napoli, not everything went smoothly. After easily winning the first set 25-21, the performance of the Sorrentines encountered some creaks during the second set. With Napoli ahead 7-10, Szabo brought Sorrento ahead (12-10) with a series of serves that put the Neapolitan reception in great difficulty. Immediately after, the former Sorrentine Simone Starace took the stage and brought his team ahead (13-15). Sorrento made another counter-overtake with Disabato (17-16) but then Starace unleashed again and led his team to win the set 20-25. In the interval between the second and third set, Nicola Esposito managed to reset Shedirpharma's control unit and from there on it was nightfall for Napoli. Sorrento wins the next two sets 25-14 and 25-19, condemning Napoli to play for staying in the category in the playout against Casarano, defeated 3-2 at home by Lagonegro.
Thus ended a beautiful day of sport that had attracted more than 600 spectators to Palatigliana, including about 100 Neapolitans. The match ended with the joint applause of the two fanbases (who had watched the match side by side separated only by a plastic ribbon) for their favorites, with the Neapolitans congratulating the Sorrentines for their survival and these reciprocating by wishing to face each other again in the next season, which for Sorrento will be the fourth consecutive in the category. Napoli has grown a lot in recent years and despite being defeated in yesterday's match has shown to deserve the category also thanks to the behavior of its supporters.
In the match that decided an entire season, the higher technical rate of the home team emerged, led by a rejuvenated Gozzo who scored a good 21 points, well supported by Disabato (18) and Szabo (12). The contribution offered by the two central players, Pilotto and Garofolo, with 8 points each, was also fundamental.
With the season effectively over, in the next few days Pilotto and his teammates will return home, setting a date at the beginning of September for the resumption of preparations for the next championship. It is difficult to say already what there will be and who will not. The writer hopes that during the summer the team can be strengthened without however changing too many pieces. Elements like Gozzo, Disabato, Pilotto, Garofolo, and the libero Prosperi should be reconfirmed. The setter Bellucci, whose performance was too inconsistent, and the Hungarian opposite David Szabo, who arrived on the coast at the beginning of the championship to replace the injured Cavasin, might leave. Cavasin, who was at Palatigliana yesterday to celebrate with his teammates the end of the tournament, could be the first reinforcement for the next season. If the available budget allows, it will be appropriate to also adequately strengthen the bench to allow Esposito to adequately manage the pieces at his disposal.