Schiacciasassi Imoco: he also wins with Casalmaggiore but shivers for Egonu

CASALMAGGIORE (CREMONA). The dreaded long shadow of the Olympics and European Championships in the same summer is making its effects felt more and less heavy on Conegliano: in Fahr, injured in Croatia, Sylla with a knee in disorder after the continental gold, De Gennaro with a suffering calf yes now also adds Egonu, who left at the beginning of the third set with an apparently muscular problem and, apparently, fortunately of little importance. On a banal bending movement at the beginning of the third set, she herself asked for the change by touching her left knee; there had been some rotation on the bench for her during the match, but the risk of worse situations is always around the corner.

In the long run, the overall quality of the panthers, albeit in reduced ranks, also prevails on the Cremona field: the yellow-blue team holds the lone head of the standings and the unbeaten record, which at this point is just 4 victories from reaching the Guinness held since 2014 by the Vakifbank. Folie sees himself on the field, giving breath to the excellent Vuchkova seen in the first three seasons of the championship; De Gennaro is still on the bench with the problem in his right calf suffered in the final of the match in Rome last Sunday. Santarelli has the opportunity to experiment with different tactical and sextet solutions already in the first set, thanks to the fact that the score is channeled immediately in the best way. Courtney and Omoruyi find no opponents in place 4, De Kruijf and Folie dictate the law on the wall, Wolosz and Egonu find themselves with their eyes closed, Caravello controls the second line with authority. And then on 9-16 there is room for the diagonal formed by Gennari and Frosini: the panthers control the score and the attempted reaction of the hosts, which however goes out from 13-19. Three walls and a nice save from Bardaro, on his turn of service, push Conegliano to the first advantage.

However, the action of the Gialloblù becomes less continuous and pressing at the resumption of the game, while Casalmaggiore puts aside the awe: the first extension on 7-11 brings the signatures of Folie and Butigan, who took over from De Kruijf, but the casalasche shorten on 10-11. The Croatian central is the protagonist of a new acceleration (10-15), but then the winning attacks of Braga and Shcherban arrive and two errors in a row by Egonu, who on the equal 16 goes to catch his breath on the bench for a few exchanges. The service lacks both teams and Conegliano loses the wall measures on Braga who passes continuously; it is Omoruyi and Egonu who keep the ball change alive, raising the percentages in the final.

The opposite of Cittadella puts the decisive point with a diagonal that even ends in the first meter of the field. The effort is great and the umpteenth set of this early season finished with a minimum advantage is the tangible sign of how much even a team like Conegliano can suffer if decimated by absences and loaded with commitments (for Egonu it was the 44th official match of the year solar, not to mention the friendlies between the club and the national team). The ice quickly arrives on his left knee, on the pitch it’s up to Frosini, who throws his heart over the obstacle. Casalmaggiore also puts his head ahead (7-6), but the opposite young woman together with Courtney signs the 7-10; Zambelli, Bechis and the inevitable Braga understand that the opportunity of such a weakened Imoco is truly unique. We remain point by point for a dozen exchanges, then Folie and Omoruyi give Conegliano a breather again (18-22). Casalmaggiore does not give up; first shorten, then cancel two matchpoints with Shcherban. Courtney places the deep decisive diagonal which avoids lengthening the game.

CASALMAGGIORE-CONEGLIANO 0-3 (15-25, 23-25, 23-25)

VBC TRANSPORT HEAVY CASALMAGGIORE: Ferrara (L) ne, Braga 12, Bechis 3, Mangani, Carocci (L), Guidi ne, White 4, Malual 5, Shcherban 10, Szucs, Zhidkova, Di Maulo ne, Zambelli 4, Rahimova ne. Coach: Volpini.

PROSECCO DOC IMOCO CONEGLIANO: Caravello (L), Plummer ne, Courtney 10, Butigan 3, De Kruijf 7, Folie 10, Omoruyi 14, De Gennaro (L) ne, Vuchkova ne, Frosini 3, Gennari, Wolosz 1, Egonu 11, Bardaro. Coach: Santarelli.

Referees: Prati and Turtù.

Notes: Spectators: 1000. Set length: 26 ‘, 28’, 30 ‘. Total: 1.24. Total points: 60-75. Casalmaggiore: bs 11, bv 1, blocks 6, reception 45% (24%), attack 36%, total errors 16. Conegliano: bs 8, bv 2, blocks 12, reception 54% (36%), attack 44%, total errors 22.