Volley Modica, mission accomplished: Napoli defeated and fourth place secured

Mission accomplished for Avimec Modica: in their last home game of the regular season, the white-blue team comes from behind to defeat Gaia Energy Napoli 3-1 and secures fourth place, behind the powerhouses Reggio Calabria, Castellana Grotte, and Gioia del Colle.

At PalaRizza, the victory is achieved in 1h43', while for the defeated Neapolitans, it means relegation to Serie B.

A tense start for the “Galletti,” who feel the pressure of the finish line. The first set is balanced until 7-7, then a guest break (7-10) leads to the first timeout by coach Distefano. Modica reacts, takes the lead (14-13), and goes up 16-14, but Napoli catches up (18-18) and pulls ahead to 19-21, forcing the home team into their second discretionary timeout. The set ends after 27' at 21-25, with the guests putting “salt” on the match.

Change of court and change of pace: the Iblean team shakes off the pressure and returns to playing their volleyball. In the second set, it’s immediately 3-0, Napoli stays close (8-6) and finds parity with Ferri (8-8). Boosted by the crowd, Modica resumes (12-9), prompting a Neapolitan timeout. With Putini setting the pace and the block finally consistent, the locals extend their lead (16-12, then 20-14) and, despite the second discretionary timeout from the guests, close 25-17 in 26’ with a signature from Mariano.

In the third set, Napoli is forced to chase (8-6), while the Modica players maintain rhythm and precision. At 15-11, the first Campanian timeout arrives, repeated at 19-13, but the momentum doesn’t change: a service error by Scita hands 25-16 in 24’ and the 2-1 lead to Avimec.

The fourth set is a monologue by the home team: 8-3 and an immediate discretionary timeout for Napoli. The County team dominates at the net, soaring to 22-11, then a brief drop allows the guests to climb back to 22-16. Distefano stops the game, the white-blues regroup, and after five match points and a final Neapolitan timeout, they close 25-19 in 26’. Chillemi and teammates can thus celebrate victory and final fourth place.

“We rightfully earn the three points with a match that we prepared for extensively during the week, knowing that we were not playing against a team that deserved their position in the standings and with their minds already on the playoffs. Napoli has important values and demonstrated that in the first set, then the guys remembered what Volley Modica is and we immediately showcased the technical values that have distinguished us in this second half of the season where we have won seven of the nine matches played, allowing us to secure the fourth place in the standings, which is crucial for the playoffs. The guys knew what was at stake and the opportunity they had, and they fully seized it. I always like to emphasize the work and dedication that the guys show every day of the week, and I believe this is the final result of a truly difficult and complicated season, especially given the high caliber of the opponents in the Blue group, and to position ourselves in fourth place behind the three powerhouses and leave teams like Lecce and Sabaudia behind us is a source of pride for us. In the playoffs, I would like to play with the best Volley Modica because if we play like this and face the opponent as we have in the last five matches, the name of the opponent matters little to me. Now - concludes coach Distefano - another championship begins for us, and an even more treacherous path, and our audience will be fundamental in the home games, so I invite them from now on to come in large numbers and warmly support us.”

Among the protagonists of the blue and white march towards fourth place stands out the libero Vincenzo Nastasi: “We are very happy to have achieved our goal – he declares at the end of the match – against Naples it was a match that we probably underestimated a bit at the beginning, but I believe that Naples did not deserve the last place in the standings because they have great team values, but we were good at getting back on track from the second set onwards, where we imposed our game demonstrating our strength and proving that we deserved our position in the standings. Now our focus is on the playoffs and we would like to move forward, so one team is worth another even if we know Sarroch a bit better because they have two guys on the roster who played with us last year and I would be happy to meet them, while Mantova is a surprise for us because they have players on the roster that we have never faced. We do not know the value of the white group, so – he continues – both teams are a real unknown, but we will work all week to give our all in the first match which is fundamental because there are only two and we must try to do our best in the away game. I thank the public for their support - concludes Vincenzo Nastasi - we hope that they will be even more numerous and warm in the playoff matches.”

Avimec Modica 3
Gaia Energy Napoli 1
Partial scores: 21/25, 25/17, 25/16, 25/19

Avimec Modica: Raso, Bertozzi 14, Lugli 1, Putini 1, Chillemi 8, Cipolloni Save, Buzzi 10, Italia, Garofolo 7, Mariano 19, Nastasi (L1), n.e: Barretta, Pappalardo (L2), Tomasi. Coach: Enzo Distefano; Assistant: Manuel Benassi.

Gaia Energy Napoli: Sarr 9, Didonato 1, Russo 9, Starace 8, Piazza, Ferri 12, Lanciani 6, Scita 4, Romano, Arguilles Sanchez 8, Ardito (L1), Volpe (L2), n.e. Saccone, Matano. Coach: Francesco Matano.

Referees: David Kronaj from Varese and Gianmarco Lentini from Milan