Players from Italy’s Trentino Diatec celebrate after winning the gold medal match at the FIVB men’s Volleyball Club World Championships against Brazil’s Sada Cruzeiro in Doha yesterday.
BY DENZIL PINTO
DOHA: Defending champions Trentino Diatec retained their title for the fourth time with a comprehensive win over Brazil’s Sada Cruzeiro at the FIVB Club World Championships yesterday.
Playing in front of a packed crowd at Aspire Dome, Trentino were clinical and showed their experience in the 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 29-27) win.
In the women’s final, Brazil’s Sollys Nestle dethroned Rabita Baku of Azerbaijan as champions with an emphatic straight-set victory. Sollys Nestle won 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-17).
In the third-place play-offs, PGE Skra beat Zenit Kazan 3-2 (25-18, 18-25, 15-25, 26-24, 25-11) in the men’s event.
In the women’s category, Fenerbahce recorded an easy won 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-17) over Lancheras.
Trentino, who were playing in their fourth straight final in Doha, opened a seven-point lead at 21-15 thanks to Jan Stokr and Osmany Juantorena.
After a time-out at 22-18 to Trentino, the Italian side claimed the set with three straight points.
Trailing 4-1 in the second set, Sada Cruzeiro’s Wallace De Souza, who impressed in this year’s campaign helped his side reduce the deficit to one-point at 6-5.
Nevertheless, Trentino turned the heat on Sada Cruzeiro with captain Matey Kaziyski playing a commanding role to help his side lead 17-10. Despite points from Douglas Cordeiro, Sada Cruzeiro were unable to rally back, and Trentino took a two-set lead.
Sada Cruzeiro players began to show their good form that got them to the final, by battling from 4-1 down to 12-all in the third set.
With Sada Cruzeiro leading 22-21, Trentino levelled the score. The Brazilian side grabbed the winners and soon had several opportunities to claim the set.
However Sada Cruzeiro were guilty of errors which Trentino capitalised and claim the set and match.
Meanwhile, Sheila Castro helped Sollys Nestle lead 8-4 in the first set. Castro and Jacqueline Carvalho, members of Brazil’s 2012 Olympic winning team added to Sollys Nestle’s tally at 12-7. Sollys Nestle continued to dominate and led 16-11.
Rabita were unable to cope with Sollys Nestle’s attacking threats and it was no surprise when their coach called for a time-out trailing 18-9.
Montano and Iryna Zhukova helped Rabita cut the deficit. However, Sollys Nestle kept adding points which eventually helped them seal the first set.
Sollys Nestle continued to frustrate Rabita, with Castro adding to her team’s points tally in the second set.
At the second technical time-out, Sollys Nestle led 16-10. The lead increased to 10 points at 22-12. Sollys Nestle later claimed the second set 25-14.
THE PENINSULA
