SAVINO DEL BENE SCANDICCI-PROSECCO DOC IMOCO CONEGLIANO 3-1
(30-28| 25-19| 21-25| 25-23)
Savino del Bene Scandicci: Traballi ne, Bechis, Skinner 18, Castillo, Ruddins 3, Franklin 2, Ribechi ne, Bosetti 6, Ognjenovic 5, Mancini ne, Graziani ne, Nwakalor 13, Antropova 26, Weitzel 7, Gennari ne. Coach: Gaspari
Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano: Gabi 19, Zhu 13, Scognamillo, Ewert, Lubian 11, De Gennaro, Haak 21, Munarini ne, Wolosz, Adigwe 2, Daalderop, Chirichella 5, Fahr ne, Sillah 2. Coach Santarelli
Referees: Stanislava (SRB) and Casado (ARG)
Attendance: about 2200
Set duration: 22′ – 27′- 28′- 29′
Notes: service errors Sc 9, Co 13; aces 4-6, blocks 10-4
This time it’s silver. Prosecco DOC Imoco gives up its weapons to Savino del Bene who as a rookie takes home the world title from São Paulo in Brazil. After two conceptual years on the throne, the Panthers leave the scepter and are already thinking about the next seasonal goals.
REPORT
World Final at the Mercado Livre Arena in São Paulo: on the highest intercontinental stage, the super challenge between Savino del Bene Scandicci and Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano is staged. Second Italian final in the world and another confrontation between Tuscans and Panthers, as on the occasion of the last CEV Champions League final.
The initial sextets: coach Daniele Santarelli chooses captain Wolosz on the dribble and Haak opposite, Gabi and Zhu are the spikers, Lubian and Chirichella the middles, Moki De Gennaro is the libero. For coach Marco Gaspari, former yellow-blue, play Ognjenovic, Antropoova, Skinner, Bosetti, Nwakalor, Weitzel, libero Castillo.
Cautious start for both teams. The setters (challenge in the challenge between Asia and Maja) put their forwards up to temperature. With the 6-7 scored by Zhu, Wolosz has already engaged all his troops , then a good service turn by Marina Lubian leads to two points, with the first real break of the yellow-blues (7-11). The Panthers try to push, Moki defends, Gabi brings the whole audience to her side with 3 points in a row, a sparkling Lubian blocks the opponent’s attacks and the advantage increases (13-19). The heat and humidity are felt, when it seems a set in control, Scandicci comes back under arrogance by hitting well and finding heavy points with Antropova and an unstoppable Skinner. Wolosz and her teammates, however, seem to hold up well, with three set points available at 21-24. The sudden blackout arrives, the rest is done by Antropova on duty. Now it is Savino ahead. Super Gabi
After the mockery suffered in the first set, coach Santarelli tries the insertion of Sillah, since Savino starts well even in the second set. Chirichella has a favorable turn on serve and the Panthers trying to get back in the slipstream, after a start by Scandicci along the lines of the great closing of the previous set (10-5). We need to chase. Sillah with pipe and attack from place 4 comes to the match, but there is a sweat to be made with Ognjenovic and her teammates still firmly ahead (14-11). To give life to the diagonal there are Ewert and Adigwe, the young opposite signs a nice hands out, but it is a flash in the pan (21-17). Scandicci hits well, blocks (10 team at the end) and preserves the advantage. Antropova (8p in the set) and Skinner (6) are the protagonists, while the yellow-blue attack in the partial does not exceed 30%, Savino flies and takes a 2-0 lead (25-19).
For the third set the basic 6+1 returns, theProsecco DOC does not give up and tries to give it all. The initial head-to-head is intense, De Gennaro and her teammates find the
The battle is also very lively in the fourth set, in which there is no appeal for coach Santarelli’s team. Scandicci will start better, but Conegliano does not give up. Isabelle Haak (8 points and 57% in the set) does not want to abdicate, blocks and gives parity at 10. An inspired Kate Antropova (3 aces, 3 blocks and 26 points in the match) and her fierce teammates push hard with the serve and the Panthers falter down by 5 lengths. Coach Santarelli tries the double change with Ewert and Adigwe who tries to revitalize the yellow-blue attack and return to -4. Then a blaze by Zhu (13 points at the end) serves to shorten the distance (-3, 18-15). The adrenaline of the match rises and in São Paulo the degrees rise at the sports hall, packed with Brazilian passion. Prosecco DOC Imoco rises in tone, in the yellow-blue crescendo there are Chirichella’s ace (-2) and Marina Lubian’s first block (11 points, 3 aces, 70% in attack!), then again Zhu puts things back in balance (21-21). It seems that inertia is now on the side of the Venetians, but in the climax the match proves to be as difficult as it has been from the beginning: Nwakalor is decisive at the wall (5 heavy “blocks” for her in the match, with 13 points), 23-23. Last points with some flaws of the defending champions, but a great test of character of coach Gaspari’s Tuscans. Savino del Bene magically finds the right rhythm and Conegliano has to surrender, the Tuscans masterfully take advantage of every glimmer granted to go and take the set and the match, 25-23.
Scandicci is champion, this time the Panthers have to settle for world silver after two years of hegemony in the world championship competition.
The Panthers after the Brazilian trip will dive back into the championship on their return to Italy scheduled for Tuesday morning at Marco Polo airport in Venice.
On Saturday we are back “on the road” with the away match in Cuneo (7.30 pm), on Tuesday 23 December we return to the Palaverde at 8.30 pm for Christmas greetings and for the sagainst the Omag-Mt San Giovanni in Marignano of the former Serena Ortolani. On December 30, however, 2025 closes with the Italian Cup, quarterfinals with Volley Bergamo.
-Tickets already available online at Vivaticket.com
PHOTOGALLERY AND POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS ON IMOCO VOLLEY’S SOCIAL PROFILES
(photo Vettori)