The moment of the last Scudetto Final has arrived. In a few hours the Final Four Scudetto of the Women’s Serie A will be broadcast from the Matera Tensile Structure. On Saturday at 3.30pm the first semi-final between Hockey Valdagno and Versilia Hockey Forte and at 7.00pm the second semi-final between Roller Matera and Rotellistica Scandianese, both live on Youtube FISR Hockey Pista. The two winners will meet on Sunday at 7pm Live on Rai Sport to play for the 2023-2024 Scudetto.
A Championship that ran from the end of October to the beginning of May for 10 days and 20 games played. Five teams were at the start which allowed the Italian girls to compete, even if most of them still play in the youth leagues. At the end of the first round, the first two classified, Decom Roller Matera and Hockey Valdagno qualified for the Italian Cup Final which took place at the end of March in Forte dei Marmi (victory of Decom Roller Matera 6-1) . At the beginning of May the last match of the Regular Season was again won by Decom Roller Matera with 24 points, unbeaten in 8 matches, as for the rest of the season, including the two Super Cup matches and the Italian Cup Final. In the last two days the ranking has also changed, even if Roller Matera and Hockey Valdagno were firmly in the first two places: followed by Versilia Hockey Forte and Rotellistica Scandianese, fifth by Roller Hockey Scandiano.
Among the scorers, the female Stecca d’Oro was won by Rebecca Taccardi from Matera, 19 goals in 8 matches, against 16 by Pamela Lapolla in 8 matches, 13 by Alvarez of Forte dei Marmi and 10 by Agustina Yacanto of Scadianese. Among the goalkeepers, the least beaten is the Vicenza native playing for Matera, Giorgia Meneghello with 7 goals conceded in 7 matches against the 20 conceded in 8 matches by Teresa Parlato of Hockey Valdagno.
Yet another confirmation for Decom Roller Matera, repeating the victory of the Italian Super Cup in October and then the Italian Cup, won 6-1. The Lucanians were busy throughout the beginning of 2024 in the WSE Champions League Women, concentrating all their efforts in the first European competition. The draw against the reigning champions Gijon was of great prestige but it was only the beginning of what they would then manage to do in the Quarter Finals. Second place in the group and access to the quarter-finals against the Aragonese side Fraga: the highest moment was right after the Italian Cup on 30 March with the 3-2 victory at home, only to be defeated 5-0 in the return leg at the beginning of April . Then Fraga, beaten in the quarter-finals, would have managed to beat the competition at the end of April and lift its first WSE Champions League Women in its first registration. Thrown back into the Championship due to recoveries and the last few days, Decom confirmed itself as the undisputed leader: eight victories in the championship in eight days, 58 goals scored and 10 conceded, for a total of 11 games without defeats. Going one step back we will also have to add the 13 matches won without defeats or draws the previous year (2022-2023). We have to go back to May 22, 2022 to find the last defeat, Modena’s victory in Matera 8-4. Undefeated for 24 consecutive games or after Valdagno’s last 4-3 victory on 12 June 2022. The arrival of Berta Tarrida has given Valerio Antezza’s team another impetus, even richer in compactness and experience. In the first of the two years, Berta scored 26 goals in the Championship + Italian Cup, compared to 10 this season, where she had an even greater role as the team’s metronome. Next to her came the young Rebecca Taccardi who has grown a lot over the last few years, giving another shape to the Lucanian team.
The opponent of the double Italian champions is Rotellistica Scandianese, defeated twice during the regular season 4-1 and 8-1. In the Emilian team’s best moment of the season at the end of the year, Decom Roller Matera didn’t have an easy life during the first leg of the match at the Tensostructure. The blue card after 5 minutes against Reggio was decisive and allowed Decom to fly to 2-0 with two goals from Taccardi. The return of the yellow and black with Gimeno left the game still quite in the balance, and only towards the end did Tarrida score the 4-1. The match at the PalaRegnani in Scandiano was different, finishing the first half already at 4-1, after the initial lead still taken by Gimeno (like the first leg). In this case the speed of the Lucanians made the difference, at a time when they were in full swing in the Women’s Champions League and needed to have a different pace which they also demonstrated on this occasion, as well as in Europe. Three goals from Lapolla, three from Lamacchia and two from striker Taccardi, in short the leitmotif of the season. The Argentinian Yacanto and Berti are the two most charismatic elements of Massimo Barbieri’s team and are also the best scorers, 10 and 6 goals respectively. Ganassi between the posts is a guarantee for a team with the right balance of experience and youth. Fourth place in the standings after the Regular Season is a bit tight for the Emilian teams, credited with a third place, remaining tied to a draw in the direct clash against Valdagno, decided in a few minutes at 3-1, but the defeat against Forte 3-1 it was decisive for the final tally of the ranking.
On the other side of the scoreboard there will be Hockey Valdagno, the future of women’s rink hockey, once again with a very young team, once again in a Scudetto final, finishing second behind the Matera team. Without Elena Tamiozzo, the captain and the ace in attack, the Valdagnesi have increasingly created a very solid group which has allowed them to build their own playing identity. except for the creativity of Elena, who flew to Portugal. In coach Davide Benetti’s new setup everyone helps everyone with quick changes and a rhythm that is difficult to repeat at an Italian level and represents a real point of reference at a women’s level. This sacrificed effectiveness in front of the net, which had already appeared to be in difficulty without the striker now playing for Portuguese Benfica, but it did allow them to establish a solidity that could have succumbed and melted in the sun against more experienced teams. Instead, in the most important matches of the season, Valdagno remained glued to Matera (except in the Italian Cup final), knowing he had to suffer, but managing to sacrifice himself in defense and then looking for the goal of his fastest athletes. In the medium-long term it is a winning card, but the hockey played looms with a semi-final that will have to be overcome to reconfirm itself in the Final. The experience gained in the Italian Under 17 national team is a flagship of the HC Valdagno project which can afford to field a starting quintet with an average age under 18. Only Lorenzato, Cestonaro, Cerato and Parlato are 23,20, 19 and 18 years old respectively, while all the rest are from the 2007 class with two 2008 girls, like Rubega and Rossato, the latter being the Italian Under 17 vice champion with Male Trissino. A team full of talents already participating in one or more Senior European Championships, Rossetto, Orsato and Bertinato, the future of Italian women’s hockey who have always given their contribution in even the most important competitions such as last year in the WSE Champions League reaching the quarterfinals like Matera this year, or playing matches against Spain or Portugal and the endless matches against Decom.
The obstacle in the semi-final will be Versilia Hockey Forte, third in the standings who have created many problems for the Venetians during the season. The 2-2 achieved in November truly astonished everyone involved, but it was the result of a great match by Forte dei Marmi, capable of keeping their opponent in check but also managing to have a great performance from their goalkeeper. Two highly experienced athletes like Alvarez and Saldana then made the difference, having unrivaled goal efficiency throughout the season. What the Fortemarmina team then managed to do was even more impressive in February, managing to conquer the PalaLido 3-1, once again with the two foreign athletes making the difference in the Strait, after a match where the Vicenza team were always lead the pace. A tug of war that psychologically could be a boulder for the blue and white but they have had four months to get back on their feet, ready to fight on equal terms, with the aim of winning the final. In terms of goals scored, Cerato and Orsato are the best scorers with 8 and 6 goals respectively, while for the Tuscans the Argentine Luana Alvarez reached 13. All eyes are on her and her speed for a Versilia Hockey Forte that will want certainly repeat the unbeaten record against Valdagno achieved during the Regular Season.
Berta Tarrida (Decom Roller Matera), Sofia Bertinato and Teresa Parlato (Hockey Valdagno) – Photo Credit: Ilenia Di Cuia
The tensile structure of Matera
WOMEN’S SERIES A CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL FOUR SCUDETTO – Tensile structure in Matera
SEMI-FINALS
Saturday 15 June 2024 – 3.30 pm – HOCKEY VALDAGNO x VERSILIA HOCKEY FORTE – Live Youtube – Referees: Joseph Silecchia and Vincenzo Marinelli from Giovinazzo (BA)
Saturday 15 June 2024 – 7.00 pm – DECOM ROLLER MATERA x SCANDIANESE ROLLERISTICA – Live Youtube – Referees: Francesco Stallone and Mauro Giangregorio from Giovinazzo (BA)
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Sunday 16 June 2024 – 7.00 pm – Winners of the two semi-finals – LIVE RAI SPORT, channel 58 Digital terrestrial and RAIPLAY
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