Volleyball, semifinal playoff: Egonu drags Conegliano, 1-0 over Scandicci

Conegliano-Scandicci 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-21) Conegliano takes the first step towards the championship final, overcoming a combative and never yielding Scandicci. For the fundamental Italian champions the tests of the usual Egonu and of a newfound Folie. Santarelli, without Fahr (who will be operated on again), ranks Folie and De Kuijf in the center, Sylla and Plummer in the band, Wolosz in direction, Egonu opposite and free De Gennaro. Barbolini leaves with Malinov, Antropova, Pietrini, Natalia, Alberti, Lubian, Castillo. Conegliano immediately gives away five points with errors by Plummer and Egonu (7-11), Scandicci pushes well to serve and attacks cleanly with Pietrini and Lubian. Malinov closes in second a long exchange that is worth 9-15 and Santarelli’s second timeout. The gap grows until 10-17 with Alberti’s wall on Sylla, which is replaced by Omoruyi. It is Egonu and Plummer who suddenly find each other and build an 8-2 run that reopens the set.

Fear passed

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Scandicci softens the blow, but suffers a draw at 22. Egonu touches 11 personal points and Wolosz’s block blows up Palaverde. The inertia remains for the Panthers who find four consecutive walls with Folie and Sylla (7-1). The guests entrust the reaction to Lippmann, who took over from Antropova, and Lubian. Pietrini pushes more to serve and finds two aces, Conegliano is much less foul, but attacks with less fluidity (13-13). The game revives and Barbolini takes a yellow card for protests. Two errors by Pietrini grant the hosts 20-17, it is the decisive break, completed by two first halves by De Kruijf. Scandicci starts the third set well against the wall, the panthers are less aggressive and more predictable. The 3-7 advantage remains unchanged for half a dozen exchanges, then Antropova risks too much a couple of times, while Folie imposes himself with first halves and a block (12-12). Antropova still keeps the hopes of Scandicci alive, then Lippmann and Natalia respond to Sylla (19-19). Egonu and De Kruijf build the decisive break (23-20). On Saturday at the Pala Wanny in Florence the panthers can already buy the ticket for the final. (Mirco Cavallin)