Off to the last act against Novara. Egonu: «They can put a spoke in the wheel». Wolosz: “We are ready to perfection”
/ CONEGLIANO
Last year, these days, there should have been the only final in Trieste to award the women’s volleyball championship; Covid forced everyone to stop, leaving the wording “not assigned” in the box of the Italian 2020 title. Today, with health protocols in full swing and the return to the classic formula, albeit shortened, of the series of races to decree the winner, they will face the two most successful teams of the last five years: Imoco Conegliano and Igor Gorgonzola Novara take the field tonight for game 1 and start the hunt for the tricolor.
The game that opens the series has a greater specific weight than in the past: victory or defeat, as in the quarterfinals and in the semifinals, not only makes game 2 decisive, which will be played on Tuesday in Piedmont, but can also mentally affect the game. attitude of the teams. «Novara is the strongest rival – underlines coach Daniele Santarelli – she is the opponent who absolutely deserved the place in the final, second in the regular season and finalist in the Italian Cup, and we know well that a great battle awaits us from today. They will be high-level and highly competitive matches, we have prepared ourselves in the best possible way and we reach the final in ideal conditions, we are aware that it will take the best Imoco to win ».
In the four playoff matches against Florence and Scandicci, the Imoco gave their opponents 55 points per game, with an average of 20 direct errors, more than half of them serving; the panthers have amply compensated for this, which by now we could define a structural defect, with 9 walls, 57% in attack and a solid reception (65% positive, 44% perfect). “We are a united group – underlines captain Asia Wolosz – we know each other and we know what we have to do, we have prepared ourselves perfectly for this final, now it’s just a matter of playing it and giving our best against a very strong opponent that we know will try them. all to have his say and put us in difficulty. Too bad there is no public, we will miss our fans, but I’m sure they will be cheering for us from afar ».
Half Panthers are in their first championship final, there are 9 athletes making their debut in the Novara row, including the coach Stefano Lavarini. “Experience certainly helps in these situations, but we are full of enthusiasm; we had a regular season and the hardest moment was the triple challenge in a few days against Conegliano between the Italian Cup and the Champions League. My girls, however, soon found the motivation to reach the final and now play for it ».
Paola Egonu is aiming for her first tricolor, who had lost the 2018 and 2019 finals against Imoco when she wore the Novara shirt. «We know our opponent well, she is a team that can put a spoke in the wheel and has already shown it. This year we have always won with them, but our past victories, now they no longer count, this is well imprinted in our minds, everything is reset and we play for the Scudetto. From tonight we will have to continue to play our game by expressing ourselves to the maximum, we know the way to win: always stay focused and push the game as we know how to do, we have a great goal to achieve ». –