Cazaute show, Egonu 22 points: Orro and her teammates in the return to Istanbul will have to win two sets or the golden set to reach the final
An amazing Milan dominates Fenerbahce (25-21, 27-25, 25-20) in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. At the Allianz Cloud ends 3-0, a match that projects Orro and her teammates towards the dream of the final: in the return match in Istanbul, however, they will need to win two sets or the golden set. It will be another Fenerbahce, at home: the one in Milan, with Fedorovtseva targeted in reception and Vargas fluctuating, is too bad to be true. Thanks to the hosts, who work excellently on the block (11-3 at the end, 8 from Folie alone) and in defence. MVP is Cazaute, solid in the second line (like Castillo) and surgical in attack (11 points with 18 attacks), while Paola Egonu is the best scorer with 22 points (there are also 16 from a gigantic Folie). For the Turks, 17 from Fedorovtseva and 14 from Vargas, who only towers in the second half. Gaspari starts Orro-Egonu diagonally, Sylla-Cazaute spikers, Rettke-Folie in the center, Castillo libero. Lavarini, without captain Erdem, responds with Drca in opposite direction to Vargas, Kalac and Fetisova in the center, Ismailoglu and Fedorovtseva in the band with Orge free. Milan dictates the law from the start, scoring 3 in the opening 4-1. It doesn’t last long, because there are the first rings from Fedorovtseva which lead to the overtaking (8-7) and when the Russian goes to serve, she immediately makes 2 aces which force Gaspari to time out. From 11-13, however, a 6-0 break with the Turks having difficulty serving and Folie (6 in the half with 3 blocks) the protagonist. Allianz maintains their lead and closes 25-21.
UNCERTAINTY
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Fener responds with Fedorovsteva, but above all with Vargas who was in difficulty previously. Cazaute (4 points in an amen) puts Milan ahead (9-7), but a 0-4 with Egonu foul brings the guests back ahead. Teams arm in arm (Ana Cristina also in), then a 1-5 in Fedorovtseva’s turn of serve (2 aces like in the previous set) digs a furrow that seems unbridgeable (20-23). Instead, two blocks from Folie put the locals back into the game, who finished 27-25 with Cazaute, the protagonist of the fraction (7 points in 8 attacks) as much as the omnipresent Castillo. Milan takes advantage of the momentum: 5-1 with attack and 2 aces from Folie, Fedorovtseva (more than Vargas) to mend the score (8 all), but the Turks struggle in attack because the Allianz wall-defense is increasingly insurmountable, with Castillo , Sylla and Cazaute dominate at the back. Set in balance until 16-17, then a 7-0 with 3 more blocks (2 by Folie and 1 by Egonu) knocks out the guests. It ends 25-20, and Milan dreams of being the top of Europe.