PROSECCO DOC A.CARRARO IMOCO CONEGLIANO-NUMIA VERO VOLLEY MILANO 3-2
(25-20 | 25-27 | 20-25 | 27-25 | 15-13)
Prosecco DOC A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano: Gabi 20, Zhu 18, Scognamillo, Ewert, Lubian ne, De Gennaro, Haak 28, Munarini ne, Wolosz 3, Adigwe 1, Daalderop, Chirichella 8, Fahr 9 , Sillah ne. Coach Santarelli
Numia Vero Volley Milano: Miner, Gelin ne, Bosio 2, Modesti ne, Pietrini 1, Sartori 1, Danesi 8, Kurtagic 16, Cagnin ne, Lanier 17, Egonu 19, Akimova 5, Piva 16, Fersino. Coach Lavarini
Referees: Piani and Brunelli
Attendance: 5344 sold out
Set length: 24′, 31′, 25′, 31′, 18′
Notes: service errors Co 14, Mi 13; aces 3-3, blocks 14-11
MVP: De Gennaro
A movie Game 1: the Panthers play an amazing first set, then risk coming back in the second before getting lost in the third, going back in the fourth and winning in the fifth. The first challenge of the Scudetto Finals between Prosecco DOC A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano and Numia Vero Volley Milano saw it all: De Gennaro leads the Panthers to victory taking home the MVP award, Haak is the first terminal of a performing attack of a team that makes the difference on the block to win (14-11). Strong and complete performance for the guests, who bring 4 players over 16 points, but only give in at 15-13 in the tie-break. Game 2 will be played on Wednesday 15 April at 20.30 at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Gara 3 will be at the Palaverde on Sunday 19 April at 18.
Entertainment on and off the pitch: Marco Mordente is the godfather of the cup, Irene Guglielmi sings the anthem before kick-off, while Old Wild West and Sisal Tipster animate the audience in the sold out Palaverde when the teams do not compete on the pitch. The Panther of the month for March is Sarah Fahr, awarded by Da Ros Green.
Basic sextets for the two coaches, the teams face each other in the Scudetto final for the fourth time in the last five years: coach Daniele Santarelli chooses captain Wolosz in the direction and Haak opposite, Gabi and Zhu are the 4 places, Fahr and Chirichella the middle, De Gennaro the libero. On the Milan side, coach Lavarini chooses Bosio, Egonu, Lanier, Piva, Danesi, Kurtagic and Fersino libero.
Panthers tidy at the start, first break signed by Zhu with a fairy lob, Haak’s service turn guarantees the first yellow-blue break with the walls of the Chinese superstar and Wolosz (8-3). Lanier unlocks on the pipe suggested by Bosio, double flash by Gabi to re-establish the distance (12-6). Chirichella’s time arrives, he produces a great defense on Egonu and places the ace of 14-6 immediately after; De Gennaro raises the kiss for Haak and Fahr unlocks at the wall (17-9), Daalderop makes his debut in the match in the second line. Coach Santarelli stops Milan’s inertia by calling time-out (21-17), Gabi delivers five set points (6 points with 55% in attack for the Brazilian, she will close with 20 centers and 2 blocks) and the Panthers pass (25-19).
Milan first advantage on errors by Prosecco DOC in the second set (2-4), Haak scores with a stunt, then Kurtagic repeats himself on the block (5-9). Coach Santarelli sets two time-outs so as not to let Vero Volley escape (6-11), Gabi pops up in the difficulties between attack and block (8-12), Zhu and Haak regain the measures (13-15, 4-0 partial). Egonu returns to impact and Milan tears again, Ewert and Adigwe give new solutions to the diagonal (15-19), Daalderop makes Zhu catch his breath. Palaverde stands for a defensive defense by De Gennaro, Prosecco DOC returns to contact (20-21). Zhu defuses two Numia set points (25-25, 4 points in the moment of need for the spiker), in the final rush of the period Milan equalizes at 25-27.
The show shows no sign of ending even in the third set, Zhu blocks for the first Prosecco DOC advantage (5-4, 18 points and 4 blocks at the end for the Chinese), Egonu scores a great parallel and Haak responds with the narrow diagonal (7-6). Two barrels by Zhu and break Conegliano (10-8), Egonu and Piva shake Milan and place the right partial to bring the guests back ahead (12-14). Daalderop resumes his place behind, Lanier stretches and coach Santarelli calls time-out again (15-19), Haak and Fahr give new rhythm in attack (18-20, 6 points with 50% in attack in the partial for the Swede). Vero Volley sprints decisively from then on, Haak cancels a set point, then Piva brands the partial and signs the guest advantage (20-25).
Haak starts the fourth set on the cover in a phase broken up by videochecks (7-6), Milan puts the arrow with Danesi’s block, then Fahr returns the favor (10-10). Zhu and Chirichella pack a new break to find the balance (13-13), Gabi blocks and closes an endless action (16-16). It is always the blocks that give the offensive push to the Panthers (19-19, Fahr and Haak take care of it, 8 points and two blocks for the opposite in the fourth): now Wolosz and her teammates want to escape, Gabi scores a break point of capital importance (23-21), Chirichella thunders after Kurtagic, Sartori places the ace and we go to the advantages. In the long run-up to the draw, Prosecco DOC folds the partial to itself: Gabi and Fahr, everything is postponed to the tie-break (27-25).
Haak blocks, Panthers immediately ahead in the fifth. Numia immediately recomposed and tried to tear away, it was again the Swede who said no (3-3). Kurtagic blocks and brings inertia to the Milan side (3-5), at the change of court Milan leads on +3 (5-8). Scognamillo debuts by receiving well in the second line, Wolosz deceives the opponent’s defense and gets on his own (8-9). Now the details count, such as the centimeters on which Zhu’s 10-10 landed, with the ball just on the court: error from place 2 and Conegliano ahead, Fahr places the ace of 13-11, Haak gives a matchpoint to the Panthers, from a busted service by Numia the match ends on 3-2 (15-13).
PHOTOGALLERY AND POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS ON IMOCO VOLLEY’S SOCIAL PROFILES
(photo Gregolin)