Imoco Volley perfect, Scandicci defeated 3-0 at Palaverde in the championship semifinal

The Prosecco Doc demolishes the Savino del Bene in race-1: Folie and De Kruijf magnificent. Race-2 takes place on Saturday evening in Tuscany

VILLORBA. ‹‹ You again, but we shouldn’t have seen each other again ›› Lucio Battisti sang in 1976, but the same cannot be said of Prosecco Doc and Savino del Bene Scandicci, in their third clash in the semifinals, after those of 2017 and 2020. Both teams, arrived at this crucial phase of the playoffs after having beaten Florence and Busto Arsizio in just two matches respectively, even in game 1 of the semifinal they did not miss great volley.

Prosecco Doc suffered, overcoming difficult moments and convinced. Santarelli, without Sarah Fahr replaced in pink by the very young Arianna Visentin, has chosen to field the usual sextet with Wolosz, Egonu, Plummer, Sylla, De Kruijf, Folie and De Gennaro. In a very noisy Palaverde, the first set for the panthers opened with a good block game, which on several occasions has touched many opponent attacks, and a careful reception by the second line. On the even 6, however, some too many errors by Egonu and Plummer allowed the Tuscans to escape ahead on +6 (9-15). Up until that juncture, the first times of the power stations were few, never forgotten during the match. At 10-17, after a block on Sylla, Santarelli chose to field Omoruyi who thanks to a good turn from the 9-meter line allowed him to recover four points. An action to watch and relate to that of 15-18 with a yellow-blue defense recovered above the benches. With determination and some very fast plays, Prosecco Doc returned to speak about him in the set (18-19), making Scandicci understand, if necessary, that she was a tough opponent. The closing of the set was a yellow and blue crescendo with many defenses and full-arm dunks.

Scandicci suffered in the second set the aggressiveness of Egonu and her companions who thanks to three walls of Folie have collected a break of 6 points to 0. But the team of coach Barbolini, first with an ace from Pietrini and then with a first half of Lubian, tried to shorten the gap (7-4), then sewn up definitively on 13 all. Mai tames the action of Egonu who continued to put down precious points, 50% his efficiency in attack in the set, and always very intelligent the choices of Wolosz who also managed to crush Folie without a wall (18-17). The atmosphere became even warmer after some protests by Scandicci for a point assigned to the yellow and blue, which cost Barbolini the yellow card for protests, and for some actions played at the edge of the net. The final was won in all respects by Folie and De Kruijf who ground the points to go to 2-0 in the set count.

In the third set it was Antropova’s attacks and Pietrini’s ace to overturn the situation on the pitch for Scandicci who bravely tried to change the direction seen during the match (2-6). With difficulty, given the numerous attacks stopped by the hands of the Tuscan wall, the panthers tried to climb the slope, again thanks to two beautiful attacks by Folie, in a state of grace. Two errors by Antropova, who always sought the same corner of the pitch, and a wall from the Bolzano power plant, brought Prosecco Doc forward for the first time in the set (13-12). The Gialloblù game has begun to regain its fluidity, which was decisive until the end of the match. To put the final hand Folie. Appointment for race 2 on Saturday at 8.45pm.