A1 women, playoffs, quarter-finals, game 1: Milan and Conegliano ahead, Scandicci struggling

In game 1 of the A-1 women’s championship quarter-finals, all the favorites win. For Scandicci, a hard-earned victory with the advantage of the tie-break. Appointment for race 2 on Wednesday 4 March and Thursday 5 from 8pm, and possible race 3 on the weekend. All went smoothly for the Prosecco Doc which easily surpassed the Eurotek Uyba Busto Arsizio in just under two hours. With the exception of the second set, won by the butterflies, the match was entirely in the favor of Santarelli’s girls, with the sets concluded with a wide margin by the Lombards. Imoco was more foul, perhaps too much so (17 errors to 14), but Haak (MVP and 35 points on the scoresheet with 62% in attack) and Zhu Ting (20 points), well served by Wolosz, took care of closing game one. Concern for Gabi who came out during the third set due to an injury (apparently a blow to the side for which she was also treated on the court) and then taken to hospital in Treviso (the same one where Lindsey Vonn was operated on) for checks.

the Piedmontese derby

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Novara passes to Pala Igor against Chieri in the Piedmontese derby 3-1. After two sets in which the mosquitoes seemed to have also knocked down Negro’s team morally, the latter rose again in the third, only to finally fall under the attacks of Tatiana Tolok (29 points with 68% in attack), Alsmeier (15) and Ishikawa (10). Very good Bonifacio, named MVP of the match. Scandicci is at great risk, who only manages to defeat Bergamo with the advantages of the tiebreak. In addition to Skinner, the Tuscans also have to give up Ognjenovic (due to a hand problem), and the attack suffers a lot, experiencing ups and downs. In the end Gaspari found Bosetti MVP and a decisive Franklin with 24 points (and 52% offensive efficiency), one less than Antropova, who was a bit discontinuous in the match. Cervellin, with the variable weight balls, finds the right inputs from Mosser and Bolzonetti, in addition to the good streak of Kipp, he is also ahead 7-9 at the tie-break, but Franklin and Antropova lead the decisive comeback. A show of strength, however, for Milan, which beats Vallefoglia 3-0. In the first set the guests crashed into Numia’s wall (8 blocks), then coach Pistola changed the setup (Giovannini and Butigan for Ungureanu and Thokbuom), but Lavarini’s team played well in every fundamental. 20 points from Egonu and MVP Lanier, who is lethal in attack (17/26 without errors or blocks conceded).

the results

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Prosecco Doc A. Carraro Imoco Conegliano – Eurotek Laica Uyba 3-1 (25-15, 22-25, 25-18, 25-18); Igor Gorgonzola Novara -Reale Mutua Fenera Chiari ’76 3-1 (25-17, 25-17, 22-25, 25-17); Savino del Bene Scandicci – Bergamo 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 23-25, 17-15); Numia Vero Volley Milano – Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19)

Race 2 Wednesday 4 March at 8pm Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri – Igor Gorgonzola Novara; 8.30pm Eurotek Laica Uyba – Prosecco Doc A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano, Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia – Numia Vero Volley Milan; Thursday 5 March at 8pm Bergamo – Savino Del Bene Scandicci