In the eighth championship game, and the fourth away from home, Prosecco Doc, with some of the big names resting on the bench, signed a new success, the last one for 2022 in Piedmontese land. A day that opened in memory of Isabel Barroso Salgado, a Brazilian player who was the first to go beyond her own country in the 1980s to play in a foreign league, the Italian one, where she wore the Modena shirt in the 1980-1981 season and between 1994-1995 that of Foppapedretti Bergamo. Salgado is remembered for being one of the pioneers of beach volleyball. During the halfway point for the first round, the Gialloblù were determined to close the match in just under an hour and a half, prevailing over the newly promoted Pinerolo with a clear 0-3. However, the result does not fully do justice to the pride with which the Piedmontese girls kept up the pace of the match in the first two partials.
Coach Marchiaro lined up Prandi, Carletti, Grajber, Ungureanu, Gray and Akrari and Moro. Santarelli instead decided to field the sixth different sextet in eight races with Carraro, in his first race as starter, Plummer, Gray, Cook, De Kruijf, Lubian and De Gennaro. The Gialloblù opened the ball with a double pass from Plummer in attack and Lubian with a block. The rhythm, albeit in fits and starts due to the continuous rapprochements of the Piedmontese, remained constant until a double point from Gray, including an ace, and a block from Lubian clearly opened the score (7-12). Cardinaletti in attack and Ungureanu’s decisive block on Plummer then forced Santarelli into timeout to prevent Pinerolo from rising. Patiently the panthers, with the reception at 60% and a more effective attack, repelled the shoulders of Carletti – who canceled the first set point – and his teammates.
Patience in reconstructing the actions was decisive in the second set where in the first ten exchanges, Plummer became the protagonist of 4 points, 3 errors and a good turn at bat. Gray, sought out three consecutive times by Carraro, imposed the yellow-blue +6 (4-10). Four consecutive points from Ungureanu and an invasion from Carraro gave the Piedmontese team courage. But a greater number of aces, 4 yellow-blues against the only one from the Piedmontese and a better break point phase gave the second set to Prosecco Doc.
A leathery Pinerolo also gave a hard time in the third set, inaugurated by the first a block of Gray. The Gialloblù game, after an hour of match, gradually melted away and with Lubian in great shape Prosecco Doc took the victory. Ylenia Pericati, ex on duty, also entered the finale. Sunday at the Palaverde there is Milan.