Heavyweights start battles in the Italian League semifinals

The four teams still standing in the race for the 2025-2026 Lega Femminile Serie A1 Tigotà title enter another important stage of the season this weekend, with the start of the semifinals.

The first matches of the two best-of-five series that will determine the teams that will play in the Italian League Finals will be held this weekend, with Savino Del Bene Scandicci hosting Numia Vero Volley Milano on Saturday, at 20:30 local time (19:30 UTC), and Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano playing at home against Igor Gorgonzola Novara on Sunday, at 17:15 (16:15 UTC).

• Watch the Lega Femminile Serie A1 Tigotà playoffs live on VBTV

The second-best team in the regular season, reigning world champions Scandicci eliminated Bergamo in the quarterfinals to make it to the semifinals for an eighth-straight season.

Led by star opposite Ekaterina Antropova, Scandicci will likely enter the series without their captain, Serbian setter Maja Ognjenović, who's been injured and missed the team's most recent matches.

"We're going to play a team that's in excellent form and that has Paola Egonu, who will be a problem," head coach Marco Gaspari said. "We need to be ready to give everything in this match, because our goal this season is to go as far as we can in the Italian League. We'll need to find ways to stop Egonu at times, but also be in good spots to deal with their outside hitters. In a match like this, every little detail matters."

Milano, which ranked third in the regular season and overcame Megabox Ondulati Del Savio Vallefoglia without dropping sets in the quarterfinals, are set to play in the semifinals for the seventh-straight time.

With opposite Paola Egonu and fellow Olympic champion middle blocker Anna Danesi, they want to get to the Finals and take their fourth shot at winning an Italian League title.

"We know the level of our opponents, and we can only expect a high-level and highly competitive match," Milano's libero Eleonora Fersino remarked. "It will be a long series, and our first goal is to win match one, even if they will be in front of their fans. Their offense is one of their strengths, so we'll need to work well on defense and take advantage of our counterattacks."

The teams have met twice this season and the home team prevailed in straight sets on both occasions. Up to now, 36 duels were held, with Milano winning 20 of them.

Lega Volley Femminile - Match Schedule & Results

Novara try to stop Conegliano

Looking for their eighth-straight Italian League title, Conegliano were the best team in the regular season and eliminated Eurotek Laica UYBA Busto Arsizio in the quarterfinals.

With stars like Swedish opposite Isabelle Haak and Olympic champion libero Monica De Gennaro in top form, the Panthers could count on the return of Brazilian outside hitter Gabriela 'Gabi' Guimarães, who left the first match of the quarterfinals with an injury but reappeared in the team's matchday roster this week during the Champions League, not getting on the court.

"We've played Novara many times this season, and I'm sure the teams know each other very well at this point," Conegliano's head coach Daniele Santarelli said. "They have good options in the middle and excellent outside hitters. It will be a great series, and we'll need to do something special to make it to the Finals again."

Novara had the fourth-best campaign in the regular season and showed a great level of play to eliminate Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri '76 in the quarterfinals and make their ninth-straight trip to the semifinals.

Between Russian opposite Tatiana Tolok and outside hitter Mayu Ishikawa, Lina Alsmeier and Britt Herbots, Novara have enough firepower to challenge anyone.

"The first thing we need to do is to enjoy the series, both because of how high the stakes are and how good our opponents are," Alsmeier remarked. "But we'll go for a win, even knowing it's going to be very difficult. We'll need to be very smart offensively and make sure our blocking and defense work, so we can make the most of our strengths."

The teams crossed paths three times already this season and Conegliano won all of them, dropping only one set. Historically, they have 46 victories to Novara's 12.

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