Game 1 of the playoffs with quite a few surprises: Milan and Scandicci suffer against Pinerolo and Vallefoglia, Chieri passes to Novara. Conegliano doesn’t miss a beat: Rome is overwhelmed.
Start of playoffs with quite a few surprises in Serie A1 women’s volleyball. The only one that does not betray expectations is Conegliano, which takes a single bite of Rome. For the rest, Milan saves itself at the last minute against Pinerolo (3-2), Scandicci barely defeats Vallefoglia (3-1) and Novara surrenders at home to the bête noire Chieri (2-3). The best of two matches out of three are played, between Saturday and Sunday the series could already close with the indication of the four semi-finalists.
Conegliano Roma 3-0: Haak top scorer
Yet another victory, number 41 of the season in as many games, for the Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano. Santarelli’s sextet gives AeroItalia Smi Roma no chance, returned to play in the playoffs after 26 years and authored a generous performance, ennobled by Bici’s 14 points. But the result, in fact, is never in question: 25-21, 25-18, 25-18 the scores for De Gennaro and his teammates, led by Haak. The Swedish best scorer of the evening with 22 points.
Novara-Chieri 2-3: Grobelna beats Akimova
As in the Italian Cup, Chieri surprises Novara again, even if this time Bernardi’s sextet will be able to try to reverse the situation in game 2 and possibly in the final. It ends 3-2 for Reale Mutua Fenera, with Igor Gorgonzola always forced to chase, before suddenly giving in in the tie-break: 18-25, 25-17, 26-28, 25-19, 8-15. Akimova’s 20 points are not enough for the hosts. Just two points, however, for Markova, on the court in the first two sets. Chieri dragged by Grobelna, author of 23 very heavy points.
Milan-Pinerolo 3-2: Egonu and Sylla decisive
Milan is at great risk, going down two sets to one against Pinerolo and then a bad start in the tie-break: 1-4 for the wild Piedmontese, led by the award-winning company Storck (23 points) and Sorokaite (16). But in the end the difference is made by Sylla’s heart (19 points for Myriam) and Egonu’s dunks (31 for her). Milan wins, 3-2: 25-20, 23-25, 23-25, 25-21, 15-13. Paoletta is a blessing and a delight for Gaspari: he makes decisive errors in the second and third sets, but in the fifth he transforms all the balls that count into points.
Scandicci-Vallefoglia 3-1: Antropova and Zhu show
Hard-fought victory for Savino Del Bene Scandicci, who after two easy sets made his life difficult against Vallefoglia. It ends 3-1 among a thousand worries for Barbolini’s team (25-16, 25-17, 21-25, 25-23), which in moments of difficulty clings to Antropova and Zhu, authors of 56 points between them: 31 for the Italian, 25 for the Chinese. Scandicci colder in the final sprint of the fourth set, in Vallefoglia – which had overwhelmed Milan three days earlier – 20 points from a wild Degradi are not enough.
A1 women’s volleyball: playoffs, game-1 quarters
- Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano-AeroItalia Smi Roma 3-0
- Igor Gorgonzola Novara-Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri
- Allianz Vero Volley Milano-Wash4green Pinerolo
- Savino Del Bene Scandicci-Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia
Women’s volleyball playoffs, the match-2 calendar
- AeroItalia Smi Rome-Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano Sunday 31/3 at 8.30pm
- Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri-Igor Gorgonzola Novara Saturday 30/3 at 8.30pm
- Wash4green Pinerolo-Allianz Vero Volley Milan Sunday 31/3 at 5pm
- Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia-Savino Del Bene Scandicci Saturday 30/3 at 3.30 pm
Meanwhile, in May Milan and Conegliano will compete for the Champions in the final in Antalya, Turkey.
