IGOR GORGONZOLA NOVARA – PROSECCO DOC IMOCO CONEGLIANO 3-0
(25-19 | 25-20 | 25-23)
Igor Gorgonzola Novara: Bosio 1, Bartolucci ne, De Nardi, Fersino, Alsmeier 10, Ishikawa 12, Mims, Bonifacio 10, Aleksic 4, Mazzaro ne, Tolok 27, Akimova ne, Squarcini, Villani ne.
Coach Bernardi
Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano: Gabi 6, Zhu 10, Lubian, De Gennaro, Haak 20, Wolosz 2, Adigwe, Lanier 1, Lukasik, Chirichella 2, Fahr 7, Bardaro ne, Seki, Eckl ne. Coach Santarelli
Referees: Canessa and Pozzato
Attendance: 4000 (sold out)
Length: 26′ | 27′ | 28’
Notes: serving errors No 6, Co 9; aces 2-7; Blocks 8-9
MVP: Tolok
Once again the challenge between Prosecco DOC Imoco and Igor Novara lives of strong emotions, game 2 of the semifinal gives the “sold out” of the Piedmontese sports hall a mirror match to game 1, but with reversed parts, this time it is Igor who dominates at home and (like last year) equalizes the account with a sparkling performance that reopens the series.
Sextets: Conegliano starts with Wolosz-Haak, the former Chirichella in the center with Fahr, Gabi and Zhu spikers, De Gennaro free. Coach Bernardi responds with Bosio-Tolok, Bonifacio-Aleksic, Alsmeier-Ishikawa, the former Fersino is free.
The first minibreak is Haak’s, 3 points with a wall-roof for 2-4. Great start of the Swede often urged by Wolosz, then Zhu also raises the shutter, but Igor reacts dragged by his crowd: a block by Bosio, then Tolok scores twice and gives the hosts the lead (7-6). In a fiery atmosphere, the Piedmontese force the serve and go wild at the wall, suddenly taking the lead of the operations (10-7). The partial 7-1 forces coach Santarelli to a premature time out. Novara plays well, continues to put the yellow-blue reception in difficulty and finds good offensive solutions with Ishikawa and Bonifacio, 13-9. Gabi and Wolosz (ace) with experience halve the gap, but Novara with the fourth block and the ace of an incendiary Tolok (8 points in the set) return to command (15-11). Prosecco DOC Imoco suffers, but does not collapse, again Isabelle Haak (9 points in the set) with a block and ace signs the -1 (17-16). The double substitution enters with Adiwge and Seki, but Igor is not there and with another shoulder signed by Bonifacio he resumes the +4 (20-16). Red alert for the Panthers who struggle in reception and attack, while the PalaIgor explodes for the 23-17 signed by Ishikawa. Igor proves to be the usual tough opponent, continues to push and wins the first set: 25-19.
Second set with Novara trying to start on the wings of enthusiasm and Prosecco DOC Imoco trying to find its certainties, undermined in the first set by the great performance of Bosio and his teammates. Alsmeier signs the first mini escape of the hosts (6-4), Gabi answers, but the German has lit up and Novara insists (9-6). Captain Wolosz asks Bella Haak (the only striker who gives certainties, 7 points and 2 blocks in the set) who responds present, then Zhu goes up to the wall and the Prosecco DOC Imoco overtakes decisively: 9-11 and the partial 5-0 of the Panthers scares coach Bernardi who asks for a time out that raises the morale of the “mosquitoes”. Contrabreak by Igor, Tolok signs the new overtaking (12-11) and it goes point by point until another shoulder by Ishikawa on the serve that gives Novara an interesting advantage: 17-14. After the time out Lanier enters, later also Lukasik, but the music does not change and the aggressiveness of the hosts neither, 20-16 after Alsmeier’s great block. While Tolok continues to hit hard (9 points in the set!) and the Piedmontese wall wins the most important duels, at 22-19 Gabi and Zhu return, but Igor now travels with the wind in his sails and also wins the second set: 25-20.
Great start of Prosecco DOC Imoco in the third set. Wounded in pride, De Gennaro and her teammates return with great determination and immediately fly ahead: 0-4, 2-6. Gabi flanks Haak and the yellow-blue attack picks up pace, but Igor after suffering the blow returns perky and recovers (8-10) with an excellent Bonifacio in the center. First Fahr, then Zhu hit a shot, Tolok responds, then two super aces by Alsmeier give parity to the Piedmontese: 12-12, everything to be done again.
The Japanese Ishikawa with her serves continues to successfully solicit the reception of the guests, then Tolok enters a competitive trance and Igor flies: 16-14, Lubian and Lukasik inside, then desperate time out by coach Santarelli on -3. A Prosecco DOC Imoco never seen in such difficulty this year suffers from the enthusiasm of an Igor Novara who does not miss a beat, the Piedmontese sports hall is a bedlam on the point of 20-15 by Alsmeier. Lanier also enters and immediately scores (20-17). Despite a last yellow-blue gasp, coach Bernardi’s team continues to hammer and thus arrives (as in last year’s semifinal here at PalaIgor) the first defeat of the season for Prosecco DOC Imoco which sees the winning streak that lasted for 50 games interrupted. Teams at 1-1 and the semifinal series moves to the Palaverde for game 3. It is played in the best of 5.
Sunday at the Palaverde (3.20 pm, live on Rai Due) the third episode of the series that is played in the best of five games. Tickets are still available on Vivaticket and at the Palaverde, in the Imoco Volley offices at the CMB Imoco Center, in the afternoon from 16 to 18.
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