Table and report 9th day A1
NUMIA VERO VOLLEYBALL MILAN-PROSECCO DOC IMOCO CONEGLIANO 0-3
(20-25,18-25,15-25)
Numia Milan: Cazaute 2 , Egonu 16, Orro 2, Danesi 3, Kostantinidou ne, Fukudome, Kurtagic 3, Sylla 9, Daalderop 6, Gelin, Guidi ne, Marinova ne, Heyrman 2 , Guerra ne. All. Lavarini
Prosecco DOC Imoco: Gabi 11, De Gennaro, Haak 20, Zhu 9, Wolosz 1, Lanier ne, Lukasik, Chirichella 8, Fahr 2, Lubian ne, Bardaro ne, Adigwe, Seki, Eckl ne. All. Santarelli
Referees: Zavater and Giardini Spectators: 12,600 (Italian volleyball record)
Set duration: 27′,23′,25′
Notes: Batting errors: Co 4 – Mi 8; Aces: Co 0 – Mi 1; Walls: Co 8 – Mi 8
MVP: Gabi
Stellar event at the Unipol Forum in Milan, more than 12,600 people who set an all-time record for Italian women’s volleyball and worldwide TV link-up for the big match on Day 9 between Numia Milano and the reigning Italian and European champions Prosecco DOC Imoco Volleyball. A spectacle that saw as many as seven Olympic gold medalists and a host of international champions facing off, making the match an attraction that catalyzed the attention of the entire volleyball world.
We start in a suggestive and very hot atmosphere with coach Santarelli lining up Wolosz-Haak, Chirichella-Fahr, Zhu-Gabi, libero De Gennaro from the start. Coach Lavarini’s hosts start with Orro-Egonu, Heyrman-Danesi, Sylla-Daalderop, libero Fukudome.
The start of the match is in favor of the Panthers, who with an intense serve and rebuilds in turn by Haak, Gabi and Zhu fly 4-8. After Coach Lavaraini’s time out, former Sylla and Egonu show up, then Prosecco DOC Imoco suffers an ace (with the help of the net) by the other former Danesi and Milan comes under. Heyrman ties it at 11, then Egonu scores and it’s time out for coach Santarelli with Numia ahead 12-11. Captain Wolosz decides it’s time to warm up the arm of the Queen of the North and Isabelle Haak responds, from the Swede the +2 points (12-14). The Haak-Egonu challenge is on stellar levels and the set travels on the edge of balance (16-16). Enter Lukasik for serve and the move works, after a great defense by De Gennaro Gabi tries another stretch (16-19). Bella Haak is on fire (6 points in the set with 60%), knocks down Orro with a stone from the second line (17-20). Final sprint with the Panthers unleashed, Wolosz speeds up the game and Gabi (5 points in the set) thanks again (18-22). It’s the decisive break for Prosecco DOC Imoco that closes ahead in the first set: 20-25.
Second set with the first stretch by Orro and her teammates, but Conegliano’s wall (Wolosz and Cjirichella) gives the first overtake (4-5). A few errors on both sides and a wall by Sylla rebalances the contest after a cool attempt by the Panthers today in rosé version (9-9).
Sylla still does well at the wall and there is a time out by the Prosecco DOC Imoco bench at 11-9. At the resumption of play Haak ties the game. The game is very tense, Zhu Ting tries to break the balance with two points in a row, then Moki De Gennaro works overtime and Haak promptly converts a double that makes the Panthers fly: 13-16. Two attacking feats by Chirichella (4/4 attacking in the set) also arrive to give sprint to the Panthers who take off (15-20), thanks also to a De Gennaro who saves every ball humanly possible. Orro tries from first to warm up the Forum crowd, while Kurtagic and Cazaute have entered in the casache team, however, unable to keep the pace of Wolosz and her teammates (18-23). The second set also belongs to Conegliano, which closes with the points of a concrete Zhu and the wall of Haak, omnipresent (7 more points for the Swede in the set): 18-25.
In the third set after suffering two blowouts, Numia Milano seemed a bit dazed and Prosecco DOC Imoco took advantage to keep pushing giving the impression of a granite monolith. The lead expands from the start (3-9). Egonu and her teammates lose confidence under the ruthless blows of the Panthers, dragged by an impeccable Wolosz at the direction, and the gap becomes merciless (6-14). De Gennaro and her teammates keep the pace very high, Haak (top scorer, 20 points) and Gabi (11 points, MVP) rage and Numia does not hold up; the final is a catwalk in front of the nearly 13,000 spectators at the Forum. Egonu and Sylla try to fight, but it’s too late and the Italian and European champions come out to applause after a dominated match: 15-25 and the 10th success out of 10 league matches comes for Prosecco DOC Imoco!
POST RACE INTERVIEWS AND PHOTO ALBUMS ON FACEBOOK PAGE, INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL
(LVF photo)