Conegliano wins at Scandicci and draws the Scudetto series • Nine from Florence

In front of the 3500 meters of Palazzo Wanny, Savino Del Bene Volley was unable to repeat last Wednesday’s victory and had to surrender in the tie break against a Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano capable of taking the victory after two hours and thirty-three minutes of challenge.

Game 2 of the Scudetto Final was as good and hard-fought as the first episode of the series, but with an opposite outcome, the result of a match in which Conegliano was able to attack the serve, making it difficult for Barbolini’s girls to receive the ball.

Savino Del Bene Volley in fact suffered the worst percentages in reception and also in attack, where 34 points from top scorer Antropova, 12 from Zhu Ting and 10 from Herbots were not enough to win.

Among Conegliano’s ranks, Isabelle Haak scored 27 points, but the defense of De Gennaro, who was elected MVP, was decisive, on par with the 17 points of Plummer who grew up during the match and was decisive in the final part of the match. A final in which the balance was broken, with Conegliano who, after winning the second and fourth sets, had the strength to prevail in the tie break 11-15.

Savino Del Bene Volley will now have to return to the gym to prepare for Game-3, aware of having played on par with Conegliano, beating them in the first set 25-22 and in the third 25-19.

The Scudetto Final series is now tied at 1-1 and on Wednesday 24 April Barbolini’s girls will return to the field at the PalaVerde in Treviso, where they will try to replicate the victory obtained in Game 1.

The news

Coach Barbolini confirms the starting line-up for Game-1, with Ognjenovic as setter and Antropova as opposite. Zhu Ting and Herbots are the two starting spikers, while the center pair is Carol and Nwakalor. The role of free starter is entrusted to Beatrice Parrocchiale.

Coach Santarelli’s Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano takes to the field with the 6+1 composed of Wolosz as setter, Haak as opposite, Fahr and Lubian as central defenders, with Plummer and Robinson Cook in the back row and De Gennaro as libero.

1st Sep

The start of the race was favorable to Conegliano, who moved ahead by three points following Linda Nwakalor’s double (2-5). Barbolini’s girls try to bring the set back into balance and with Antropova they shorten it to 5-7, but Conegliano attacks the first half of the game and takes the lead to 7-11, forcing Barbolini to take the first time out of the match. After the “half” Savino Del Bene Volley closes the gap and with Zhu Ting and Antropova grabs the equalizer at 12-12. Conegliano calls his prime time out to stop the comeback of Savino Del Bene Volley, but following the break comes the 13-12 from Scandicce and then also the ace of 15-13 signed by Antropova.

Conegliano regains the advantage and with an ace from Haak regains the +3 (16-19), it therefore becomes necessary for Barbolini to spend a new time out. Conegliano extends to 17-22, but Savino Del Bene Volley reacts with Herbots and Antropova and takes the lead to 20-22. Santarelli resorts to a time out, but Savino Del Bene Volley doesn’t stop, equalizes the score at 22-22 and overtakes with Carol’s 23-22 block. The set ends shortly after: Antropova scores 24-22 with a second attack, while Lubian scores 24-23 in the first half.

However, the Conegliano powerhouse fails the next serve and gives the 25-23 to Savino Del Bene Volley.

2nd Sept

The second set opens with a close match and with Conegliano finding the +2 at 6-8 scored by Haak. Antropova equalizes the score at 8-8, but the tie doesn’t last and the guests manage to extend it to 9-12. Barbolini runs for cover and the first time out of the set is played, but Conegliano continues to grind out points and reaches +4 with Haak (10-14). The guests’ advantage shows no sign of decreasing, but Barbolini’s central players make two important plays in the moment of need, with Carol and Nwakalor scoring the points to bring the result to 16-18. Santarelli doesn’t agree and calls a “time”, getting a reaction from his team, who scores 18-22 with Robinson. For Barbolini the moment arrives for a new time out, the final of the set however sees Conegliano able to impose itself, with the point of 21-25 scored by Lubian.

3rd Sept

In the third half of the game Conegliano started better again, but the Venetians, after leading 3-5, found the equalizer with Antropova’s 5-5 and overtook with a block from Herbots (6-5). Savino Del Bene Volley also reaches +2 thanks to a nice diagonal shot from Zhu Ting, while after a long and hard-fought exchange it is Antropova who scores the hands out for 9-7. An error by Haak brings the result to 10-7 and forces Santarelli to call the first time out of the set. Even after the time out, Savino Del Bene Volley managed to maintain the three points with Antropova and Herbots as protagonists as well as an exceptional Ognjenovic.

The advantage of Barbolini’s team becomes five points at 17-12 and once again Santarelli has to play a time out. However, Ognjenovic himself scores the point for 20-15, while immediately afterwards it is an attacking error by Haak that brings Savino Del Bene Volley up +6 (21-15). Barbolini’s team also finds +7 with a hands out from a surgical Antropova, then Savino Del Bene Volley closes the set in their favor with Haak who misses the serve and sets the score at 25-19.

4th Sept

Savino Del Bene Volley approaches the set better: Zhu Ting smashes powerfully for 3-2, then Antropova hits two aces and pushes the result to 5-2. Conegliano stops the match with a time out and begins a comeback which is completed with the fast of 6-6 made by Lubian. The Venetian team finds the advantage with 8-9 thanks to Plummer and Barbolini opts for a time out call. Antropova and Zhu Ting lead the attack of Savino Del Bene Volley and give back a two-point lead to Barbolini’s team (13-11), but Conegliano doesn’t let itself be outplayed, with the block it takes the lead at 13-13 and with an ace from Plummer hits 13-15.

Conegliano’s lead becomes three (14-17), so Barbolini cannot avoid calling a time out. Savino Del Bene Volley comes back again: Antropova scores the 15-17, Herbots the dunk at 16-17 and Zhu Ting the pipe at 17-17. Antropova’s hands out gives Savino Del Bene Volley the lead (19-18), but Haak immediately cancels the advantage (19-19) with a terrifying pipe. Herbots scores with a hand out and a point block, so Savino Del Bene Volley is back ahead by two points (21-19).

It’s an infinite set, like the energy of a Conegliano team that finds the equalizer at 21-21. The final of the half was a hot point-to-point challenge, but Conegliano came out on top, taking the set 23-25.

5th Sep

Savino Del Bene Volley ahead by three points after three exchanges, with Carol scoring two of the first three points and forcing Santarelli to time out. After the break, Zhu Ting scores with the dunk to make it 4-1, while Antropova lowers her arm for the powerful attack to make it 5-2. Conegliano remains in the game and recovers first at 6-5, with a fast winner from De Kruijf, then up to 6-6 thanks to an ace from Gennari. Barbolini stops the match with a time out, but at the change of court Conegliano takes the lead 7-8. Savino Del Bene Volley returns to the lead with an attack by Herbots and an error by Haak (9-8), but Conegliano equalizes with a hands-out by Plummer (9-9) and then extends to 9-11, forcing Barbolini at time out. After the “time” Conegliano no longer stops and manages to win the challenge by winning 11-15 in the fifth set.

Coach Barbolini post match: “Good match, like the one last time. Today we were the ones who came close to closing it, compared to Race 1 where they were the ones who came close to winning. It doesn’t surprise me to come within two points of success and still have work to do. This is what we have to learn: they never give up, they are not a team that will give us a point when the game needs to be closed. They are much more used to experiencing these situations with great normality than us, which is why we have to accept a defeat like this, I’m not saying with normality, but with the awareness that we played with a very strong team. We are 1-1 and we go to Game 3 in Conegliano with the result in balance”

Savino Del Bene Scandicci – Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano: 2-3 (25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 23-25, 11-15)

Savino Del Bene Scandicci: Alberti, Herbots 10, Zhu Ting 12, Ruddins ne, Di Iulio, Ognjenovic, Parrocchiale (L1), Armini (L2) ne, Nwakalor 6, Washington 1, Carol 7, Antropova 34, Diop, Nowakowska ne. Annex: Barbolini M.

Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano: Piani (L2), Plummer 17, Robinson Cook 10, Squarcini ne, De Kruijf 3, Gennari 2, Lubian 11, De Gennaro (L1), Haak 27, Bugg, Wolosz 2, Lanier 2, Fahr 9, Bardaro. All.: Santarelli D.

Referees: Simbari – Piana – Verrascina

Duration: 2h 33′ (30′, 29′, 28′, 32′, 17′)

Attack (Pt%): 36% – 40%

Reception Pos% (Prf%): 36% – 53% (12% – 25%)

Winning Walls: 12-11

Ace: 3-4

MVP: De Gennaro

Spectators: 3500