Table and Chronicle World Club Semifinal
PROSECCO DOC IMOCO CONEGLIANO-NUMIA MILAN 3-0
(25-23,25-14,25-23)
Prosecco DOC Imoco: Gabi 12 , Zhu 15, De Gennaro 1, Haak 15, Wolosz 4, Lukasik, Chirichella 4, Fahr 6, Bardaro, Adigwe ne, Lanier ne, Seki ne, Eckl ne, Lubian ne. All. Santarelli
Numia: Orro 1, Egonu 21, Kurtagic 5, Danesi 5, Sylla 6, Cazaute 2, Daalderop 7, Fukudome, Pietrini, Kostantinidou, Marinova ne, Heyrman ne, Guidi ne, Gelin. All.Lavarini
Referees: Yuliya (Kaz) and Angieska (Pol)
Spectators: 8000
Set duration: 25′,20′,26′
Notes: Batting errors Co 3,Mi 7; Aces: 4-1 ;Walls: 7-6
It’s semifinals in Hangzhou, and it’s an all-Italian derby, a replay of the last Champions League final, between European champions Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano and Numia Vero Volleyball Milan’s runners-up, with fierce former players Egonu, Sylla and Danesi on the Panthers’ way before TOMORROW’s final at 12:30 p.m. to which the home team, Tianjin, has already qualified, beating Brazil’s Dentil Praia 3-1 in the first semifinal.
Sextets on the court amidst the enthusiastic din of the Chinese fans, incredible choreography of a World Cup that thrilled the local public: for Conegliano there is Wolosz-Haak, Chirichella-Fahr, Gabi-Zhu, libero De Gennaro; for Milan in from the start Orro-Egonu, Danesi-Kurtagic, Daalderop-Sylla, libero Fukudome.
The first set is a stellar spectacle, the two teams battle it out showing the highest expression of the sport, with sensational shots that send the 8000 in Hangzhou into ecstasy. It’s an exciting head-to-head match, starting with Paola Egonu’s ace trying to make herself heard right from the start (1-3), but Haak’s wall comes in to equalize right away. The big star of the evening is local idol Zhu Ting, and the Chinese star player immediately puts her stamp on the set. Beleaguered in reception, Zhu holds up well throughout the set and on offense shows off her full repertoire of shots (she will close with 6 points and 55% on offense), putting on a show from the start. His is the point for the first lead (6-5). The match rises in tone giving life to breathtaking exchanges, one resolved by Haak in lob for 9-7.
Milan, however, is hot, plays well and responds blow by blow, Daalderop equalizes at 9. Every action is an odyssey between incredible defenses (with a Moki De Gennaro even scores!), saves and spectacular actions. Gabi tries another stretch with a great parallel (17-15), but there’s Egonu hammering as she knows how and Numia stays in the wake. Gabi again, this time with two incredible defensive readings, pushes the yellow-blue team that in attack finds Haak (7 points in the set for Bella) and Zhu , always on time to captain Wolosz’s calls (20-18). Egonu answers again (10 points in the set),but Prosecco DOC Imoco’s wall-defense becomes simply impenetrable until 24-21. Milan’s pride keeps Coach Lavarini’s team alive, two missiles from Egonu cancel as many set balls, then Asia Wolosz’s wisdom picks out Sarah Fahr and her super percentages (3/4 attack in the set) to close a fireworks set: 25-23.
In the second set, Numia seemed to pay for the effort of the first partial, and at the beginning De Gennaro and her teammates flew away on the wings of enthusiasm with Gabi attacking with great effectiveness: 7-3. The Milanese’s experience comes back overbearingly with Anna Danesi’s wall flicks that sew up the gap (9-7); Numia’s comeback stimulates even more the competitive ardor of Prosecco DOC Imoco that with an orderly and precise game even in convulsive situations returns to lay down the law. Captain Wolosz (great game for the Panthers’ director) on serve does damage, Gabi closes the point, then Zhu Ting with her crystalline class seals a crucial double after two super defenses by Gabi and De Gennaro and Prosecco DOC Imoco runs away (15-8), this time for good. The two exes Sylla and Egonu beat the last shots with pride, but from 16-12 on it is a Gialloblù apotheosis. The pair of queens is unleashed, Gabi (8 points in the set with 78% in attack!) and Zhu (6 points) break the last resistances of the opponents and the Panthers close 25-14 after a practically perfect set of 51% in attack and 62% in reception.
Third set with a very strange trend, it’s immediately 4-1 for Conegliano, but Egonu (she’ll close as top scorer with 21 points) goes up the wall (6-4), then the teams go up a notch and it’s still pure spectacle for the Chinese audience: Chirichella’s wall after an endless action, then with Sylla’s wall and attack Numia gets back in touch, 7-6. All sorts of things are seen, Asia Wolosz also pulls two…first-period dunks out of the hat, Moki De Gennaro dives into the stands to try a save, Bella Haak finds effective and spectacular shots, while wall touches by the powerhouses perfected by the second-line defense allows Zhu and Gabi to find heavy points in reconstruction.
The 10-6 stretch forces Coach Lavarini to time out. But the set seems doomed because the Panthers push on every ball. Fahr places the 15-10 ace after an attack double by Egonu. Lots of changes on the court for Numia in an attempt to stem the apparent overwhelming power of Prosecco DOC Imoco that flies up to 19-11 after two big aces by Bella Haak (great game for the Swedish star with 15 points, 2 aces and 2 walls) that seem “tombal” in the economy of a set so far dominated by Coach Santarelli’s Panthers.
Never mess with the outliers, however, the Panthers loosen their tension a bit seeing the banner nearby and make life difficult for themselves. Incredible recovery of Milan that with a partial of 11-3 even grabs the tie at 22. Coach Santarelli tries with a time out to stop the comeback of Orro and her teammates, but unusual errors so far and great plays by Cazaute, Egonu and Danesi put Numia back in the match. At 22-22 it takes steady nerves and it’s time for the superstars: Gabi (12 points, 1 ace, 1 wall) scores without a wall, Zhu Ting goes to the sky and scores her only wall of the match, crucial, stopping Egonu for 24-22. The Italian Olympic MVP cancels the first match point, but an Asia Wolosz in the dress of great occasions rewards the same Zhu (stellar 15-point try, a certainty) sending her in front of her fans to attack the final point that decides 25-23 and sends Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano to its fourth World Final!
After the fine success in the semifinal with Milan tomorrow the Prosecco DOC Imoco Panthers will play their fourth World Final in history, confirming the tradition that has seen it always reach the final act in its participations in the rainbow event.
After the successes in 2019 and 2022 Coach Santarelli’s team is looking for a world trio, but their opponent, the Chinese hosts Tianjin, has shown that they can beat anyone. It promises to be a high-level match where it will take the best Prosecco DOC Imoco volleyball to get the better of them. Home crowd divided between the Chinese team and cheering for “our” Zhu? We will see tomorrow, Sunday, at lunchtime in Hangzhou: appointment at 12:30 p.m. Italian time with live DAZN and Volleyballworld.tv for the final act of the 2024 Club World Cup.
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(FIVB photo)
