PROSECCO DOC A.CARRARO IMOCO CONEGLIANO-EUROTEK LAICA UYBA 3-1
(25-16 | 22-25 | 25-18 | 25-18)
Prosecco DOC A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano: Gabi 2, Zhu 20, Scognamillo, Ewert ne, Lubian 9, De Gennaro, Haak 35, Wolosz, Adigwe ne, Daalderop, Chirichella ne, Fahr 9, Sillah 8. Coach Santarelli
Eurotek Laica UYBA: Battista 24, Pelloni, Gennari 3, Metwally 1, Seki 3, Diouf 1, Schmit, Parlangeli, Obossa 11, Eckl 4, Torcolacci 9, Parra ne, Boldini ne, Booth 4. Coach Barbolini
Referees: Armandola and Piana
Attendance: 4983
Set length: 29′ – 28′ – 25′ – 27′
Notes: service errors Co 10, BA 6; aces 3-9, blocks 10-3
MVP: Haak
The play-offs begin. Prosecco DOC A. Carraro Imoco Conegliano beats Eurotek Laica UYBA 3-1 in Game-1 of the quarter-finals of the Scudetto play-offs. In the match Isabelle Haak shines with 35 points, the Panthers close with 10 team blocks after losing the momentum only in the second set, for the butterflies never yielding there is a Battista with 24 points. The thirteenth post-season in the history of the yellow-blue opens with a victory. Game-2 is already around the corner: it will be played on Wednesday 4 March at the E-Work Arena in Busto Arsizio, a decisive match for the passage of the round to the semifinals ; possible Game-3 at the Palaverde on Saturday 7 March at 20.30.
To start the thirteenth play-off campaign in the history of the yellow-blues, coach Daniele Santarelli deploys captain Wolosz in the direction, Haak is the opposite, Gabi and Zhu are the spikers, Fahr and Lubian the middles, De Gennaro the libero. On the other side, coach Enrico Barbolini chooses Seki-Obossa for the diagonal, Battista and Gennari places 4, Torcolacci and Eckl in the center, free Pelloni. Usual Old Wild West show with the Blue Royals crew in the intervals between sets, the sponsor day of the day is RDZ Spa.
The first mini-break is Busto’s with Torcolacci, but Zhu is a scoring machine at the start and the Panthers tear towards 8-3 on which Haak puts his signature. Obossa brings back the butterflies come back into contact (10-9), double Fahr and double Zhu to send Prosecco DOC to +5 (17-12). Battista ends the partial of the yellow-blues on 9-0 (22-13), Zhu further rounds off the personal score of his first set by fixing the 1-0 with 25-16 (9 points with 75% in the partial for the Chinese superstar).
Push and pull at the beginning of the second set, Battista draws the ace and Lubian inaugurates his block match (4-4); with Gennari the UYBA takes a break advantage (5-7), the Panthers remain in the wake with Haak’s block (10-11) and with a poisonous service turn by Gabi. A thaumaturgical time-out by coach Santarelli is needed to give the change of pace to the set (12-17): Haak gets on his own in attack and service (14-17, 12 points), the 4 places momentarily change with the entrances of Sillah and Daalderop (17-20), Zhu returns and impacts (21-22, 20 points at the end with 2 blocks for the number 4 of Prosecco DOC). The butterflies are more cynical at the tail end and take a 1-1 lead with Battista’s serve (22-25).
Haak responds to UYBA blow by blow (4-4), Lubian finds the winning serve (8-8, 9 points with 3 blocks and 1 ace for the middle), Fahr implants a brick with the first half (10-10). Haak and Fahr take advantage of a disorderly reception to strike, Zhu walls the Panthers have changed pace (17-11, 7-0 partial): Lubian finds the measures on the block (20-15), Sillah puts his hand in it with the set point (25-18, 3 centers for the Slovenian from the bench in the set).
Haak did not lose his polish in the fourth set (3-1), in the set from inside or outside Busto shows character with Obossa (4-4), Sillah forces the opponent’s bench to the first interruption (8-5). Fahr’s block for 10-6, Zhu leaves the defense stunned with the lob pushed, Lubian blocks with timing (16-9, 5-0 partial). Zhu fixes two points from post 4 (18-11), Fahr is present at the block (21-14, 9 points with 3 blocks and 1 ace) : Zhu closes it with the block of 25-18.
The second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals has already been set: Antonio Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano will host Ankara Zeren Spor at the Palaverde on Wednesday 18 March at 20.30, seven days after the first leg in Turkey. In the next few days, the online pre-sale will open on Vivaticket.com.
PHOTOGALLERY AND POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS ON IMOCO VOLLEY’S SOCIAL PROFILES
(photo Gregolin)