A. CARRARO PROSECCO DOC CONEGLIANO- VAKIFBANK ISTANBUL 2-3
(25-22| 25-18| 27-29| 23-25| 11-15)
A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano: Gabi 18, Zhu 16, Scognamillo, Ewert, Lubian 6, De Gennaro, Haak 20, Munarini ne, Wolosz 3, Adigwe 1, Daalderop 1, Fahr 12, Airhienbuwa ne, Sillah ne. Coach Santarelli
VakifBank Istanbul: Cazaute 4, Ozbay 1, Aykac, Ozden ne, Ogbogu 7, Caliskan, Jegdic ne, Acar, Cebecioglu 3, Gunes 9, Boskovic 33, Markova 31, Lazovic 7, Malual ne. Coach Guidetti
Referees: Koutsoulas (GRE) and Aro (FIN)
Attendance: 8200
Set duration: 31′- 27′- 34′- 33′- 19′
Notes: service errors Co 7, Va 14; aces 4-1, blocks 5-9
In the marathon of the Ulker Sports Arena, Antonio Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano lost 3-2 to Vakifbank Istanbul in the semi-final of the CEV Zeren Group Champions League. Tomorrow at 16 Italian time the challenge for third place against the loser of the match between Savino del Bene Scandicci and Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul.
Coach Santarelli has to give up Cristina Chirichella, injured in training this week, and chooses captain Wolosz in the direction, Haak opposite, Gabi and Zhu spikers, Fahr and Lubian in the center, De Gennaro is the libero. For Vakif, coach Guidetti chooses Ozbay, Boskovic, Cebecioglu, Markova, Gunes, Ogbogu, libero Aykac. Ulker Sports Arena packed for the first day of the Final Four of CEV Zeren Group Champions League, 8200 spectators present.
Markova immediately on fire, Zen Panthers when Vakif vents at the start: with Cebecioglu comes the Turkish +3 (5-8), then Wolosz engages a yellow-blue mini-partial on serve and Fahr fixes the first advantage (9-8). It travels point to point, Lubian breaks the balance with the fast+ace combo, but Vakif ignites with Boskovic and Markova to catch Antonio Carraro (16-17). Adigwe enters to sting on serve, Zhu is a valuable second violin (4 points in the first set with only 1 error), Daalderop gives centimeters to the first line and Haak enters the temperature (24-22). When Scognamillo reinforces the reception the Panthers already have 2 set points and have definitely entered the rhythm, Gabi is ice cold for 25-22.
The second set of the Panthers revolves around Sarah Fahr: she scores 4 break points, on the third occasion (ace of 7-5, 6 points with 67% in attack and 1 block for the middle in the partial) the Panthers find the right momentum and legitimize the advantage twice with Haak (De Gennaro in raising the 9-8 to the Swede). When Wolosz gets on his own, Conegliano sees the +4, but Vakif returns from time-out bringing the balance back to the set (13-12). Gabi extinguishes the flames with hands out and Boskovic imitates her shortly after (16-13), Haak is sure of the touch to the wall and is rewarded by the videocheck, Adigwe knocks down the opponent’s reception with the 20-14 that smells of doubling. Vakif gives up the partial, Gabi is still sentence with the second set point (25-18).
Antonio Carraro’s block intimidates a Vakif who makes a lot of mistakes at the start of the third set, Lubian slips the fst of 7-4, but Boskovic and Markova shake the Gialloneri for the equalizer (8-8). The exchanges get longer, here the Panthers touch their peak of play: Haak stabs with the parallel, Zhu takes advantage of the free ball and the Swede is the terminal of an orchestra that revolves around Wolosz and De Gennaro (16-12). Scognamillo gives Zhu a rest, Gabi gains altitude in attack (20-17), Zhu scores in a slash reception for a new Panthers extension (22-18). Vakif does not give up and finds himself after the time-out, Boskovic writes the -1 (22-21): Daalderop raises the wall, Zhu misses a reception but invents a “puntazo” in the third period (24-22, 7 points with 78% offensive in the set), Ogbogu extends the contest to the advantages. The final shot of the partial is by Vakif, Boskovic and Markova drag the set from their own in extremis (29-27).
Vakif definitely has inertia on his side and the Panthers lose pace at the beginning of the fourth set: Lazovic blocks for 4-9 and coach Santarelli calls time-out, Daalderop is the new move to regain life. Fahr closes the first half suggested by Wolosz while the Turks rage (9-15), bad luck targets Lazovic who after a partial as a protagonist leaves the court due to injury (11-18). Wolosz extinguishes a long exchange by hitting first, Gabi is ringing again and the margin is thinner (18-20, 6 points in the set with 75% in attack for the carioca in the fourth): Daalderop cancels a set point (23-24), but Boskovic postpones the games to the tie-break.
Wolosz and Gabi inaugurate the fifth set (3-0, De Gennaro masterful), Vakif is on fire, Zhu and Lubian put their pride in it to draw (7-7). Markova signs the first break of advantage for the Turks (9-7), Scognamilo helps the second line and at 12-8 there is a new diagonal for the Panthers. Turkish double match point canceled (14-11), then Boskovic makes Vakif rejoice.
PHOTOGALLERY AND POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS ON IMOCO VOLLEY’S SOCIAL PROFILES
(photo Ramazan)