The second leg of the Del Monte® Junior League semifinal started with a much higher intensity than the first. Cuneo, led by coaches Tomatis and Barbiero, began strongly, comfortably winning the first set 25-16. Perugia then regrouped, leveling the score in the second set with a 21-25 victory. The third set proved crucial and was bitterly lost by Cuneo (24-26). Despite leading for much of the set, Cuneo was caught and surpassed by Perugia in the final moments, giving Perugia the decisive set for qualification. In the fourth set, Cuneo tried to stay in the game, but Perugia’s momentum from securing qualification pushed them to close it out 20-25, setting the final score at 1-3 and concluding the semifinal.
Coach Daniele Tomatis shared a mix of regret and pride following the elimination. He emphasized that Perugia demonstrated an impeccable approach and attitude in both matches, a consistency Cuneo couldn’t maintain, especially in the first leg. While Cuneo showed flashes of superior play and the ability to compete, their inconsistency in maintaining a high level of play—marked by excellent peaks but also significant dips—proved decisive. Tomatis highlighted the missed opportunity in the third set of the return leg, where Cuneo was leading but allowed Perugia to recover and win a set that ultimately compromised the final outcome. He concluded by calling the experience “important” and hoping for future opportunities at this level.
Mario Barbiero, Technical Director of the youth sector, praised the quality of play shown by Cuneo in the second leg, especially in the first set, where the team performed at an exceptionally high level. He acknowledged Perugia’s solidity, describing them as a compact team with a high volume of play that effectively challenged Cuneo. Barbiero expressed satisfaction with the commitment of the players, both those from the first team and the youth sector, concluding on a positive note about the overall Junior League experience.
Despite their direct elimination, Cuneo still has a chance to qualify for the Final Eight. The team will await the outcome of the other semifinal between Allianz Milano and Cucine Lube Civitanova, scheduled for mid-April. Should Cuneo rank higher than the losing team of this semifinal based on tie-breaking criteria, they will play a single playoff match against the team defeated in the A2/A3 group final. The winner of this playoff will secure the last available spot in the Final Eight.
Semifinal – Matchday 2
MA Acqua S.Bernardo Cuneo vs Sir Susa Scai Perugia 1-3
Set Scores (25-16, 21-25, 24-26, 20-25)
MA Acqua S.Bernardo Cuneo Statistics:
Bonomi 3, Ballari 3, Colasanti 7, Barberio 12, Baldi 9, Giraudo 17, Girardi (L1); Bonsignore 1, Pelissero, Rosati, Scatragli 4. Not entered: Busi, Massa (L2). Head Coach: Daniele Tomatis. Assistant Coach: Mario Barbiero. Positive Reception: 53%; Attack: 42%; Blocks: 10; Aces: 2.
Sir Susa Scai Perugia Statistics:
Cassieri, Fiori 8, Severini 17, Fossa 10, Giovagnoli 21, Meattelli, Vagnetti (L1); Canaricchio, Dionigi 4, Tittarelli. Not entered: Vertecchi. Head Coach: Andrea Piacentini. Assistant Coach: Luca Arcangeli Conti. Positive Reception: 47%; Attack: 45%; Blocks: 9; Aces: 3.
