A. CARRARO PROSECCO DOC IMOCO CONEGLIANO-ANKARA ZEREN SPOR KULÜBÜ 3-2
(23-25 | 26-24 | 23-25 | 25-22 | 20-18)
A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano: Gabi 21, Zhu 6, Scognamillo ne, Ewert, Lubian 4, De Gennaro, Haak 29, Munarini ne, Wolosz, Adigwe 2, Daalderop 17, Chirichella ne, Fahr 12, Sillah. Coach Santarelli
Ankara Zeren Spor Kulübü: Alkan, Karadas ne, Ercan Küçükaslan ne, Akman 1, Lazareva 18, Aleksic 19, Mihajlovic, Arici 3, Gatina 9, Erkul ne, Onal ne, Uzelac 24, Sahin 8, Malinov 3. Coach: Ljubicic
Referees: Ovuka (BIH) and Ivanov (BUL)
Attendance: 4230
Set length: 27′ – 30′ – 26′ – 29′ – 25′
Notes: service error Co 14, An 9; aces 2-10, blocks 13-10
MVP: Gabi
The first night of the CEV Zeren Group Champions League is played at the Palaverde, the Antonio Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano hosts the Turkish Ankara Zeren Spor for the first day of Pool D. The Panthers are two-time European champions and start again on their European journey within the friendly walls against a team that plays in the top European competition after receiving a “wild card”.
The Panthers show off the new red “evening” uniform for cup nights, with the free throws in black. Zhu Ting is back available, after the Chinese National Games, now the team is complete.
Ankara puts pressure on the Panthers with her serve, it is Gabi’s first break of the yellow-blues (6-4), then it is the same carioca who leads her teammates to the first break by also placing the ace (10-6). Zhu is very hot in the early stages (13-10 with the block, 5 in the first set for the Chinese), De Gennaro becomes the protagonist of a series of screaming defenses, but Ankara takes the lead (15-19). Daalderop replaces Zhu in the second row, a splendid lift by Wolosz engages Zhu’s lob, Haak equalizes the score at 20: Ewert and Adigwe take over the initial diagonal, Zeren has the decisive shot and it is 0-1 (23-25).
The Turks have inertia on their side at the beginning of the second set, the Panthers chase with Haak and Lubian’s block (10-11). With Daalderop’s service turn comes the first advantage in the set (15-13), consolidated by Gabi’s block (18-15): Haak finds a deadly lob and a lethal diagonal (22-19), then gives way to Adigwe with Ewert, Gabi gives away two set points, it is an Ankara error to give the 1-1 (26-24). The Brazilian is on the cover in the partial, with 9 points, 80% in attack and 1 block, she will close the match with 21 points, 1 ace and 1 block.
Daalderop gives the first hurrah with the 4-3 block, it is always the Dutchman the first break (7-5). The spiker in jersey number 16 sows 8 points with 1 block in the third set, Nika’s impact has 17 points and 2 blocks on the cover . It is Haak who unravels the clouds (13-13), from a sharp serve by Lubian the Panthers go back ahead with Fahr’s first half to close the action (18-17). Adigwe unloads a lightning bolt from the service (20-19), Ankara reaches and overcomes the A. Carraro at the back, closing 23-25 ahead.
Fahr sends back the winning attack from seat 2 to give the first advantage to Conegliano in the fourth set (9-8), doubled by another block by Daalderop. Fahr capitalizes on the megarally of the match (12 points and 3 blocks in the match for the center), Daalderop continues to grind (15-11), Haak finds a providential hands out after a save by De Gennaro, after two errors by the Turks the Panthers extend (20-14). When the games get tough again, Haak takes the chestnuts out of the fire (23-20, 7 points in the fourth for the Swede), Lubian hits the wall that sends everything back to the tie-break (25-22).
Fahr takes the chair with 3 points in a row (4-4). Daalderop helps the Panthers to stay in touch (5-6), Ewert and Adigwe enter to give momentum in the comeback, the young opposite puts a stamp (9-11), Sillah enters for the serve, Haak extinguishes three match points (14-14, the opposite ends up with 29 points on the scoreboard): delirium at the Palaverde, the Panthers have breath and heart to complete the epic comeback, It closes on 20-18 and a legendary 3-2.
Before leaving for Brazil, where the Club World Cup will be played from 9 to 14 December, the Panthers will play the last two matches between the league and the Champions League away: on Saturday there is the clash in Umbria against Perugia, while on Tuesday 2 December they fly to Germany to face Dresden in the second of Pool D.
PHOTOGALLERY AND POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS ON IMOCO VOLLEY’S SOCIAL PROFILES
(photo Gregolin)