On Wednesday, December 5, JCU Coed Volleyball and Men’s 5on5 Soccer teams played their last games of the semester before winter break. Coed Volleyball faced Dopo Lavoro Atac (DLA) as part of the Oroverde Tournament; while Men’s 5on5 Soccer team took on Polo Didattico Bambin Gesù (PLD) in the Universities of Rome Championship.

COED VOLLEYBALL
JCU swept DLA, 3-1 and ended  the semester with a well-deserved victory, which represented the best rewarding for this team commitment and improvements.

In the first set, JCU started off strong, immediately gaining the upper hand. Soon enough, tough, our Gladiators began to pay off a little bit of fatigue, and the opponents exploited the situation to their advantage by winning the first set, 15-25.

However, this time, JCU didn’t want to give in to tiredness and was able to react well. Our Gladiators came back to the field more focused and determined, playing excellently and earning a clear 25-16 win in the second set.

DLA didn’t want to let go, though and were ready to overturn the result in their favor. But JCU didn’t let the opposing team any chance to take the lead. Despite DLA effort, our Gladiators were able to conquer the third set, as well, with a 25-21 win.

At the beginning of the fourth set, JCU knew that the victory was clearly within reach. The opponents tried their best to overcome our Gladiators, but their best wasn’t enough. JCU also won the last set 25-16.

“I am really proud of this team, and this victory is the perfect reward for all of them,” coach Stefano Papari observed. “Most of the players we had this semester were really rookies in terms of volleyball experiences, but in such a short time, they were able to improve a lot both personally and as players. Their technical and tactical growth is terrific, and this shows how people can obtain important results thanks to hard work, fortitude, and the pleasure of playing together. Congrats, Gladiators!”

MVP – Veronica Rusich

And we could never be more proud of you, Gladiators! You did a great job! This victory is all yours, and you deserved it! Most of you will now come back to your home country, and we will definitely miss you, but we will never forget your commitment and enthusiasm as we hope you won’t forget your time with us. Thank you for your contribution and for represeting John Cabot University with our volleyball team!

For the players who will stay with us next semester, we want to say that the Season is still long and completely open. So now get some rest, and we look foward to having you back for the second half!

MEN’S 5on5 SOCCER
Not a really fortunate situation stroke our Men’s 5on5 Futsal team during their last game of the semester against PLD. A complex game, which saw the opponents overturning the result at the last minutes and winning the match 6-5.

The game started well for our Gladiators who were able immediately to take a clear advantage over PLD with a result of 0-4 thanks to the score of Fernando Royuela (1), Edoardo Prosperi (2), and Niccolò Volpe (1).

JCU did not encounter any problem in the first half. However, fiftneen minutes into the second half, the situation started to change. The opponents woke up and score two goals one after the other, an aspect that gave them more confidence. Contrarily, JCU began to lose a little bit the control of the game, responding to PLD incitement with more aggression. Plus, a few doubtful occasions into the match in favor of the opposing team didn’t help JCU to restore the sort of the game as the initial half.

Goals mash up from JCU #9 Niccolò Volpe and #7 Edoardo Prosperi

One last goal arrived for JCU thanks to Edoardo, but PLD was able to win the game, nonetheless.

“It was a weird game, and we wasted an important opportunity,” coach Manuel Franceschi pointed out. “We played really well, and this was a game that we could have definitely won. But after PLD scored, we ended up in some sort of general confusion, which was emphasized by some unfair game situations that helped the opponents.”

You still did a great job, Gladiators, and you proved to be a cohesive and strong team! The Season is long, and you have plenty of time to make up for the first half. We know your skills and strenght, and we are sure that you will come back even more determined next semester!

MVP – Edoardo Prosperi