Volleyball, A-1 women: Novara knocks down Conegliano and now wants the first place

Not even the battleship Imoco manages to stop Novara’s comeback in the standings which after Monza enforces the law of PalaIgor even in the match against Conegliano and puts the first place in the viewfinder in the sights, with three more races to recover.

Novara-Conegliano (25-19, 25-21, 23-25, 25-19)

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An extremely careful and determined start to the match by Novara, attentive to blocking and defense and effective at serving, with which she builds a couple of important breaks that allow her to move first to 8-5 and then to 15-10, with Hancock who also gets an ace. Karakurt keeps the ball change well, but it is his equal role Egonu, on the other side to bring the Imoco back in the wake, unleashing the whole repertoire: narrow diagonal from place two, ace and winner from the second line, for the 16-14 .

Egonu is not enough

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Conegliano feels that it is time to tighten his grip and with Plummer he gets back to minus 1. Karakurt and Bosetti defend the break ahead and an error by Egonu allows Igor to get on 20-17. Under 22-19 Santarelli plays the Sylla card, but Igor still stretches with the unleashed Karakurt who pushes him to two points from the set. Sylla’s error in reception gives Daalderop the ball of the set ball and Karakurt closes 25-19 on the first attempt. The Imoco tries to change pace at the start of the second set, but Novara is always on track and from the initial 1-3, it immediately goes back to 4-3, triggering point to point. Wolosz fails to put an imprecise Egonu into the game and Igor is ready to seize every opportunity, with the break that brings her 9-5 on Karakurt’s turn, which puts the bow with the ace that forces Santarelli to time out. Again the Turkish opposite and Bosetti widen the gap and after yet another mistake by Egonu the bench for the blue star also arrives (12-6, inside Frosini). Novara double Conegliano on 14-7 and continues to lead the set climbing 20-13. Plummer in the service rekindles a flame for the Imoco, which dates back from 22-15 up to 22-18, but the big wall of Karakurt (8 in the set) on Egonu seems to close the games in the set. Folie sends the serve of 24-19 on the net and on the third attempt the Turkish player closes on 25-21. As in the previous set Conegliano tries to start immediately strong (2-5) but Novara is again ready to return by impacting at an altitude of 5. The head-to-head is exciting and sees the two teams alternating at the head of the set up to 16 all. The Imoco finds the break with De Kruijf’s block on Bosetti and Lavarini spends the time out on 16-18. Caterina redeems herself with a magic from place 4 and Chirichella after the stone hit by Hancock hits the partial again. Another block gives the Imoco a new break in the decisive sprint (20-22). Still with two walls (5 in the set) Santarelli’s team repulses the assaults of Novara and arrives at the set ball at 22-24. Washington cancels the first with the fast but on the second attempt Courtney closes the set 23-25. It is always great balance even at the start of the fourth set, with Imoco who seems to have found the real Egonu (7 in the third set) and Novara who returns to bite with a wall-defense (10-10). Two points from Daalderop from P4 and the block on Egonu push Igor to 14-11 (time out Santarelli). Karakurt pushes with the serve and Washington twice in fast stretches to 16-11. Daalderop and Bosetti defend the advantage until 18-13, Karakurt with the point number 23 makes 20-15. Still the Dutch from Novara puts the sparkling wine on ice, after two super defenses of Novara on Egonu (23-18). Daalderop also draws the ace that is worth the match point: Caterina Bosetti closes it on 25-19 for a 3-1 that launches Igor into orbit.