And it’s en plein. Conegliano concedes nothing to anyone and wins the fourth final of the season and wins the Champions League (the second in its history in five finals). It does so by beating a Vero Volley Milano team (3-2, partials 25-14, 23-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-9) that are too discontinuous and insecure for a European final and that this time cannot count on the “magic from Champions” by Paola Egonu (five finals with four different teams, three won). This is the third final of the season (after the Super Cup and the Italian Cup) that the Milanese team has lost to the Venetian team. Conegliano wins with the weapon that has allowed it to win 48 out of 50 matches this season: an often exceptional game organization (in recent years it has changed many players but the result is always the same) and the cannibalistic character of those never satisfied despite the fact that a few days have passed since the championship victory
the match
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Gaspari lines up Orro-Egonu, Sylla Daalderop in the back and Rettke-Folie in the center with Castillo free. Conegliano has Wolosz-Haak, Folie-Kruijf in the center and Robinson-Plummer on the wing with De Gennaro as libero. In the first set Conegliano started at full speed, while Milan struggled to find a rhythm and before managing to enter the match Imoco was at +6. An advantage that Gaspari’s girls are no longer able to fill, in fact it slips to an embarrassing +11 for a Champions League final. Isabelle Haak is possessed (7 points with 70% in attack) but as usual it is the entire Venetian team that has an aggressiveness and pace that Egonu and her teammates are unable to keep up with. The second set begins with more balance with Egonu and Folie leading the attack and Cazaute on the court for Daalederop. For the +3, however, Vero Volley has to thank three consecutive Venetian errors (Plummer and Haak out and an invasion). The advantage gives courage to Milan who also finds points in blocks and in serves with Malual and even reaches +8. It is Lanier, who replaced Plummer, who interrupts the series first in attack and then with a streak of batting. From then on, Milan clung to their remaining advantage. Experienced shots and great defense (ask Sylla and Folie) to take home the set not before having wasted a notable number of set balls.
the return of the Venetians
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Conegliano resumes leading the match in the third set. A 6-2 start by Plummer, eager to get back into the game. The Venetians rearrange the wall and Milan starts making a lot of mistakes in attack without ever managing to worry their opponents in the score. Fahr becomes the bomber of the set, thanks to a masterpiece of understanding with Wolosz and scores a 5/5 in attack while the Lombards struggle trying in vain to undermine the opponent’s dominance. In the fourth Milan clings to the match. Orro distributes the game with more balance with Cazaute in good spirit and Conegliano seems less lucid than usual, making a lot of mistakes on serve but also in attack. The real Volley guards the +3 gained in the middle of the set, consolidates it with a good turn serving Malual and takes Conegliano to the tie break. Conegliano immediately took the lead 3-1 in the fifth with Plummer and Wolosz serving. Milan remains in the wake with Cazaute and on the block while Plummer and Robinson lead Conegliano who extends to 10-6. Sylla is the last to give up but Imoco closes and celebrates on the roof of Europe
