ANTALYA (Türkiye)- Conegliano (tonight A.Carraro Imoco) completes the Italian triumph this evening by winning the Women’s Champions League, a few hours after Trento’s victory in the Men’s Final, also winning, after the Italian Super Cup, the Italian Cup and the Scudetto, the most coveted trophy, the Champions League , snatching it from Allianz Milano at the end of a spectacular final that saw Egonu and his teammates try everything, and even come close, to snatch a victory from the unbeatable panthers that would have had historic contours. Five sets, two hours of play and applause-worthy plays, a double comeback by Gaspari’s girls and in the end the decisive tie break which saw A.Carraro Conegliano come out on top thanks to a collective strength that this year has not known obstacles. It ends 3-2 (25-14,23-25,25-19,19-25,15-9), Santarelli’s girls can celebrate, Gaspari’s, having gotten over the disappointment, acquire the awareness of having entered the elite of volleyball European. Thus ends a triumphal European season for the Italian teams who won the two Champions Leagues (the men’s one triumphantly a few hours earlier with Trento), the Cev Cup with Chieri and the Challenge Cup with Novara.
The SuperFinal is staged at the Antalya Sport Salonou, packed with 9300 spectators, including Italian sports personalities such as Minister Andrea Abodi, the Italian coach Julio Velasco and the president of LVF Mauro Fabris, in addition to the noisy handful of yellow and blue fans, around a hundred applauding the entry onto the field of A.Carraro Imoco for its fourth appearance in the final round of the Champions League with its 6+1 “base” in Europe formed by the setter-opposite diagonal composed of captain Wolosz and the Swedish Isabelle Haak, in the center Fahr (recovering from a right ankle problem) and Robin De Kruijf who ends his career today on his 33rd birthday, spikers are the USA pair Plummer-Robinson Cook, libero Moki De Gennaro, who return to the “place of the crime” where they won the Club World Cup in December 2022. Allianz Milano, in its first time in the SuperFinal, lines up Orro diagonally from the start with the former Paola Egonu, in the center Folie, another ex, with Rettke, spikers Sylla (the third ex Pantera) with Daalderop, libero Castillo.
The first exchanges are all yellow and blue, 4-0 for the Panthers with attack and block from Plummer who starts very strong. De Kruijf also scores, then Haak responds to Egonu (7-3). A.Carraro Imoco must absorb the reaction of the Milanese team, with Wolosz now relying on Bella Haak capable of converting balls in series (great first set with 7 points and 70% in attack) for the new lead at +5 (13-8). Allianz suffers from the yellow-blue defense wall which makes Orro’s offensive plans futile, allowing winning counterattacks to the Swede and her teammates. Robin De Kruijf also places an ace (14-8), then Milan (who brings on Cazaute) under pressure makes some errors and the Panthers take flight (18-10). Little thrill on the good return of the French Cazaute (18-13), but the “usual” Haak, idol of the Turkish public, takes care of bringing Conegliano back to +6. Gennari enters on the second line, then Lubian serves and the lead expands (22-14). The set ends with A.Carraro Imoco dominating thanks to Lubian’s aces and Robinson Cook’s final block on Egonu for a comfortable 25-14.
At the start of the second set Allianz, having shaken off the rust of almost a month of inactivity, begins to grind out the game, Sylla and Egonu play the charge (3-5), but Kat Plummer is charged and equalizes at 7, breaking the wall opponent. Two errors also arrive for A.Carraro Imoco and coach Santarelli has to ask for the first time out with Allianz ahead 7-10. Allianz believes it, Egonu on the rise signs the +4 diagonal (8-12). The light goes out in the Gialloblù home after an all-too-easy first set and at 9-15, which coincides with a good entry into serve by the young Malual, coach Santarelli has to stop the game again. Lanier enters for Plummer, but Malual continues to hurt the reception of the Italian champions who sink to -8 (9-17) and have to chase. Khalia Lanier and Haak reduce the gap, then Robinson Cook’s class (attack and block) drags the Panthers to -4 (13-17). After the time out Lanier shoots the ace for -3, but Rettke breaks the yellow-blue break. At 15-18 Bardaro enters, but Milano keeps the bar straight and maintains the advantage. Sylla scores 16-21, then Bardaro performs a defensive miracle, Haak (6 points in the set) scores and the game reopens at 18-21. The Lombard team’s wall makes a loud statement (18-23), Lubian’s final attempt at serve is not enough and three errors in a row by Egonu (7 points in the set) who then closes on the fourth attempt. Milan equalizes the score with 23-25.
Nice reaction at the start of the third set for A.Carraro Imoco who returns to play without errors and adds Fahr’s quick moves to an attack well orchestrated by captain Wolosz (6-3). Egonu is still imprecise and Conegliano extends, thanks also to a good block from Sarah Fahr (11-6). Gennari enters and thanks to the replays of the yellow-blue second line the advantage remains considerable (12-7). Milan’s attack relies on Sylla who keeps the Lombard team afloat, but it’s not enough: A.Carraro Imoco is determined in defense with the De Gennaro-Cook pair and “bad” in attack, Bella Haak doesn’t make mistakes, then Fahr scores in the center and the Panthers go wild, rising to +8 (18-10).
Kelsey Robinson Cook also takes the lead and after a double dive in defensive acrobatics by Bardaro and De Gennaro converts the 22-15 which launches the Panthers towards winning the third set. Plummer scores the 24th point, then the final blow from an unstoppable Haak (5 out of 5 attacking in the set!) triggers the scream of the Gialloblù fans for 25-19 which sends A.Carraro Imoco ahead 2-1.
The fourth set begins with De Kruijf’s ace which marks the point that makes her the best “all time” scorer of Imoco Volleyball, the 2567th of her career as a Pantera, ousting Egonu from the special ranking at the last minute. The match, however, remains close with Milan who, despite a subdued Egonu (11% in the third set in attack) finds sprint with Cazaute’s serves (5-7). Isabelle Haak is unleashed and goes to heaven for the attack, but Allianz insists on taking the match to a tie break. (8-10).
The Antalya sports hall “stimulated” by the group of yellow-blue fans is everything for the A.Carraro Imoco Panthers who, with a series of cinematic shots from Isabelle Haak (he will be MVP with 23 points) return to -1 (12-13). When Egonu turns on (12-15) coach Santarelli, the “komandante” for the fans of the Turkish national team, asks for a time out, but Allianz believes in it and takes advantage of a less brilliant moment for the Panthers to relaunch (14-17). Captain Wolosz relies on the “policy” Haak, a brace from the Swedish star for -1 (17-18). Time out by coach Gaspari.
It’s a battle on the pitch, Wolosz blocks, Folie scores the first half, then Haak commits one of his rare errors and Milan enters the final sprint 3 points up (18-21). Red alert on the bench after Malual’s +4 ace and time out at 18-22. Another missed pass from Conegliano costs dearly and Milan takes off with a break of 6-1 and closes the set (19-25) sending the Superfinal to a tie break.
The fifth set begins immediately with A.Carraro Imoco pushing forward with Fahr’s block (3-1), then Bardaro enters and responds strongly in the second row and with De Gennaro forms an impenetrable pair in the second row. There is a shock from Milan with Sylla blocking (5-5), but there is a wild Robinson Cook who with the other USA Kat Plummer scores the decisive break: 10-6. After the blaze of the two Americans, Fahr dominates by +5 (12-7). In the end Wolosz and her teammates hold on to the return of their opponents and Allianz’s final error sends the Panthers to heaven for a 15-9 which means the second Champions League and a fantastic seasonal poker for the Panthers!
The scoreboard-
A.CARRARO IMOCO CONEGLIANO-ALLIANZ MILAN 3-2 (25-14,23-25,25-19,19-25,15-9)
A.CARRARO IMOCO CONEGLIANO: Wolosz 3, Haak 23, Plummer 21, Robinson Cook 10, Fahr 9, Lubian 2, Squarcini ne, De Gennaro (L), Gennari, De Kruijf 6, Bardaro, Lanier 2, Bugg, Piani (L ) neither. All. Santarelli.
ALLIANZ MILAN: Daalderop, Bajema 1, Orro 2, Malual 3, Rettke 7, Heyrman, Castillo (L), Egonu 19, Prandi ne, Pusic (L), Candi, Folie 7, Cazaute 10, Sylla 13. Coach Gaspari.
REFEREES: Mokry (Svk) and Ozbar (Tur)
Set duration: 23′,28′,25′,26′,16′ Total: 118′
MVP: Isabelle Haak (A.Carraro Imoco)
Spectators: 9300
