A. CARRARO IMOCO CONEGLIANO-DEVELOPRES RESOVIA 3-0
(25-18 | 25-19 | 25-22)
A. Carraro Imoco Conegliano: Gabi 5, Zhu 10, Seki, Eckl ne, Lubian ne, De Gennaro (L), Haak 22, Wolosz 1, Adigwe ne, Lanier ne, Lukasik 1, Chirichella 8, Fahr 13, Bardaro (L). Coach Santarelli
Developres Resovia: Honorio, Korneluk 10, Jasper 9, Machado 13, Centka ne, Wenerska, Szczyglowska (L), Chmielewska, Fedusio 1, Dudek 5, Vicet ne, Fedorek, Kubas (L), Jurczyk 7. Coach Masek
Referees: Szabo (HUN), Markelj (SLO)
Set Duration: 23’ | 24’ | 28’
Spectators: 4330
Notes: Service errors Co 7, Re 5; Aces 6-4; Blocks 10-8
MVP: Haak
Nessun dorma, at Palaverde the return leg of the CEV Champions League quarter-finals takes center stage: A. Carraro Imoco Conegliano faces Developres Resovia again, with the first leg in Poland ending 3-0 for the Panthers. Both teams have their sights set on the Final Four in Istanbul on May 3-4. Coach Daniele Santarelli opts for the Wolosz-Haak diagonal, Gabi and Zhu as outside hitters, Fahr and Chirichella as middle blockers, and De Gennaro as libero. For Resovia, Coach Masek chooses the Wenerska-Machado diagonal, Jasper and Dudek as outside hitters, Korneluk and Jurczyk as middle blockers, and Szczyglowska as libero.
At Palaverde, the atmosphere and tension match the importance of the occasion: the unleashed Panther of the first set is Haak, engaged from position 2 and Wolosz’s pipe, then delivering two lethal aces that create the first gap in favor of A. Carraro Imoco (14-11). Chirichella (in regal form at the net, with 3 blocks) and Fahr dominate with quick attacks and blocks (17-13, the Olympic champion closed the first set with 6 points and 100% attack efficiency), then Gabi and De Gennaro’s defenses ignite Zhu (21-15, 5 points in the first set with 71% efficiency for the Chinese star, finishing with 10). Seki ensures a reliable serving turn, and the Panthers soar to a 1-0 lead with 25-18.
The first break of the second set for A. Carraro Imoco comes thanks to Wolosz’s block (7-4), then Chirichella stings for a +4 with an ace (10-6), and when Resovia closes the gap, she lands her second personal block (14-11). The Princess lit up the second set with 5 points, 1 block, and 1 ace. With Zhu and Haak still blazing, the Panthers attempt a breakaway (17-12). Coach Santarelli brings in Lukasik for late-set defense (20-15), Haak breaks through from position 2 (the Swede in MVP form with 22 points, 4 aces, and 2 blocks), and with Fahr’s set point, the Panthers secure a 2-0 lead and officially reach the semifinals. The Italian star closed the match with an outstanding 13 points and 3 blocks at 82% attack efficiency.
Despite having the goal in the bag, the Panthers defend relentlessly (3-3, team reception at a positive 56% in the match), while Haak shows no signs of slowing down, firing on all cylinders (7-3). The set remains contested until A. Carraro Imoco pulls ahead with Fahr (12-9). Coach Daniele Santarelli wants clarity and calls the first timeout of the match: Gabi picks up the thread (15-15, the Brazilian delivering an extraordinary 92% positive reception), Zhu strikes from position 4 (20-19), then Lukasik takes her place in the back row. In the end, the final roar belongs to the Panthers with Lukasik’s block, who had also sealed the match point against Bergamo.
A. Carraro Imoco Conegliano will await tomorrow’s return leg between Numia Vero Volley Milano and Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul to find out their semifinal opponent (their seventh in yellow-blue history) in the CEV Champions League Final Four, which they will play as reigning champions and unbeaten in the competition for two years. On Sunday, March 16 at 5 PM, the Panthers will take the stage at Bergamo’s Choruslife Arena for Game 2 of the A1 playoff quarter-finals against Volley Bergamo.
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(Photos by M. Gregolin)