IL BISONTE FIRENZE-PROSECCO DOC IMOCO CONEGLIANO 1-3
(25-21, 22-25, 15-25, 23-25)
Il Bisonte Firenze: Acciarri 1, Malual 18, Butigan 5, Leonardi (L), Battistoni, Giacomello 1, Nervini 13, Baijens 3, Lapini ne, Cagnin 2, Agrifoglio 1, Davyskiba 15. Coach Chiavegatti.
Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano: Arici (L) ne, Seki 1, Eckl ne, De Gennaro (L), Haak 22, Wolosz 2, Adigwe 1, Lanier 16, Lukasik 6, Chirichella 9, Fahr 13, Bardaro, Orso ne, Moroni ne. Coach Santarelli
Referees: Santoro and Scotti
Spectators: 879
Set duration: 26′, 28′, 22′, 30′
Notes: Service errors Fi 6, Co 11; Aces 4-8; Blocks 5-8
MVP: Lanier
Last away game of the A1 regular season, Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano visits Il Bisonte Firenze in the penultimate match before the playoffs, played at Palazzo Wanny. The Pantere have secured the top spot in the regular season two games ago, but they face a team fighting for survival points, presenting a lineup different from usual.
Coach Daniele Santarelli has recovered from a feverish state over the weekend and joined the team in Florence in the afternoon, while Gabi Lubian and Zhu stayed in Conegliano, affected by the flu. Three Panterine from Cortina Express Imoco San Donà are called up: the 2008-born outside hitter Giorgia Orso, the 2007-born middle blocker Sofia Moroni, and the 2007-born libero Elena Arici. The starting diagonal is Wolosz-Haak, Lukasik and Lanier as outside hitters, Fahr and Chirichella as middles, De Gennaro as libero. On the other side, Coach Federico Chiavegatti fields a diagonal of Agrifoglio and Malual, Nervini and Davyskiba as outside hitters, Baijens and Butigan as middles, and Leonardi as libero.
The first spark of the evening from Prosecco DOC Imoco comes from Bella Haak (top scorer of the match with 22 points), who delivers a double ace to give the Pantere their first significant lead of the night (11-13). A 5-0 run brings the first yellow-blue break; Il Bisonte fights back and takes the lead thanks to Nervini and Malual (20-18). Coach Santarelli calls his second timeout when Davyskiba scores an ace (22-18). Right after, Anna Bardaro comes in to serve, marking her 50th appearance with Prosecco DOC Imoco for the 2005-born player, but Florence holds firm even after Haak’s attacks and closes the set at 25-21.
The first highlights of the second set come from Sarah Fahr (13 points in the end with 4 blocks, half of the team’s total). The Italian delivers a combo of a quick hit and an ace for the first mini-break for the Pantere in the set (7-9). Wolosz gets the attackers in rhythm, yielding the best results (10-14). Haak quickly reaches double digits (15-17), and Fahr adds two more bricks toward the 1-1 tie, sealing it herself as the absolute queen of the set with 6 points, 2 blocks, and a 60% attack rate (22-25). Prosecco DOC Imoco’s middles dominated at Palazzo Wanny: Cristina Chirichella came close to double digits with 9 points and a 56% attack rate.
A double point from Lanier (MVP, 16 points on the final stat sheet with 1 block and 1 ace) from position 4 excites Santarelli on the sidelines (4-7). Wolosz blocks by turning at the net in a flash, and Prosecco DOC Imoco finds the right confidence to widen the gap early in the third set (5-10). Fahr scores her second ace of the match (7-13), Haak misses a serve but immediately makes up for it with a soft shot from position 2 (9-17), the Swede leaves Palazzo Wanny in awe as she puts down the 19th yellow-blue point. Lanier leaves no room for error with the right openings (7 points in the set with a 60% attack rate), and it’s she who closes the third set at 15-25 for the Pantere.
Lanier still has the right adrenaline when the new set begins, standing out in attack and at the block, but Florence finds its rhythm (9-5). Coach Santarelli switches the diagonal, bringing in Seki and Adigwe. The Japanese setter immediately scores an ace, allowing the Pantere to close the gap (11-9). Lukasik follows suit from the 9-meter line (14-11), Adigwe craters the floor with her only point of the match (16-14). The starting diagonal returns, Haak shows no mercy, and meanwhile, the Pantere draw level. A thrilling set finale ensues: Bella Haak pulls a rabbit out of the hat, saving a ball in her half, and from position 4, her “twin” Lanier is in top form. It’s Prosecco DOC Imoco’s block that seals the deal, with the Pantere winning 3-1.
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(Photos courtesy of Il Bisonte Firenze press office)