A.CARRARO IMOCO CONEGLIANO-MLADOST ZAGREB 3-0
(26-24,25-10,25-13 )
A.Carraro: Seki 1, Eckl 11,Lubian 6, Adiwge 24, Bardaro, Lanier 5, Lukasik 13, Fahr ne, Wolosz ne, Haak ne, Chirichella ne, Gabi ne, Zhu ne, De Gennaro ne. All.Santarelli Mladost: Vrban, Petranovic 5, Bogati Pantelic 2, Papac 3, Grabic 10, Brasnic, Prkacin, Drobac, Istuk, Freund 5, Koraca, Smolian, Golemac, Bosnjak 9. All. Nojc
Referees: Lecourt (Fra) and Sikanijc (Lie)
Set duration: 29′,20′,24′ Spectators: 3130
MVP: Adiwge
A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano, with a blazing red uniform like the famous tractors of the Campodarsego house, made its debut today with the stripes of reigning champion in the Champions League 24/25, opponent the young team of Mladost Zagreb, coming from the qualifiers. Coach Santarelli gives a rest to many of his “bigs” by fielding an unprecedented “six + one” with Japan’s Seki at the dribble, opposite Merit Adiwge, setters Lukaisk and Lanier, libero Anna Bardaro. Mladost, at its first experience in the Champions board in its history, responds with Prkacin-Petranovic, Grabic-Bosnijak, Freund and Bogati Pantelic, libero Smolian.
At the beginning, the enthusiasm of the young Croatians created some headaches for the home team (4-6), which then did well to regroup and find concreteness and solidity. First the walls of Eckl and Lukasik, then Khalia Lanier’s ace and the winning solutions of a brilliant Adiwge put the Panthers on the right track, and Conegliano’s decisive stretch arrives: 16-9. Mladost, however, proves ready for this level and with good attention at the wall and a venomous serve manages to come back by posting an incredible 7-0 break and catches up with the hosts (18-18). Coach Santarelli grooms his girls for the end of the set, but the Croatians go wild and continue to march fast (21-23). Adiwge “on fire” (10 points in the set!) reduces the gap, then Seki places the tying ace. Grabic (5 in the set) deludes the Croatian women (23-24), but Adige cancels the first set point for the guests, then it is Katja Eckl who closes a suffered set with her specialty, the wall (3 for her in the set).
Having escaped the danger and calibrated the measures of the new sextet, A.Carraro Imoco in the second set does not want to take any risks and starts off immediately in a rocket. Merit Adiwge (6 points in the set!), making her Champions debut, continues her excellent game, well assisted by Eckl and Lanier (4 apiece) , with a nice set on serve, then Marina Lubian’s Olympic gold shines: wall, attack and ace for the 13-4 that digs the first, deep, furrow. Mladost fell apart and the Panthers with the final ace of an unstoppable Adiwge sealed the comfortable 25-10.
After a still-launching start to the third set for the Panthers (6-3) thanks to the boost of Lanier’s good serves, Grabic and her teammates proudly came back under (7-6), but the wall of a lively Martyna Lukasik (13 points , 3 walls) and Eckl (11 points, 5 walls!) combined with Lanier’s solidity kept Conegliano ahead. The eagerness to play of Coach Santarelli’s girls committed this evening is great and it shows, Bardaro and her teammates dart on every ball, Nanami Seki at the direction shows all her technique and the lead goes back up. Marina Lubian seals a one-two, attack-ace for 14-10. The Olympian’s turn at bat widens the lead to 17-10. while Adiwge (9 points in the set, MVP in her European debut with 24 total points and 4 aces!). The physical superiority under the net of the European champions made itself felt and Conegliano ran away uncatchable thanks also to the fine defenses of an effective Anna Bardaro. 25-15 the final and comes the first European victory of the Yellow-blue season.
INTERVIEWS AND PHOTO ALBUM ON IMOCO VOLLEYBALL FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE PAGE.
(photo M.Gregolin)