De Gennaro inspires Conegliano for Cup semifinals berth

An inspired back-court performance by libero Monica de Gennaro, who picked up the MVP of the match award, allowed defending cup-holders Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano to recover from a slow start and advance to the Final Four of the Italian women's cup, as quarterfinals got underway on Thursday.

Once Conegliano did get going, after dropping the opening set, they were unstoppapble and Paola Egonu pounded away a match high of 21 points (including three aces) while USA's Kathryn Plummer attacked for 60% (12/20) in their 3-1 (23-25, 25-14, 25-22, 25-14) win over Bosca S.Bernardo Cuneo.

Last year's finalists Igor Gorgonzola Novara are also through to the semifinals, following a 3-1 (25-21, 25-6, 19-25, 25-18) home win over Il Bisonte of Florence.

Incredible runs for 8-0 from 2-1 and a 11-0 from 10-2 took care of the second set, but Novara failed to complete the match in three.

Turkey's Ebrar Karakurt with a match high of 26 points from a 57% (25/44) attacking efficiency was named MVP of the match.

But the upset of the day came from 6th-seeded Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri who knocked out No. 3 Vero Volley Monza with a thundering 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18) in what turned out to be an all-Belgian scoring battle on Thursday evening.

Kaja Grobelna brought in 14 points for Chieri and was named MVP of the match, but it was her fellow-Belgian international Lise van Hecke with 15 points for Monza who collected the match high.

The fourth of the quarterfinals, between Savino Del Bene Scandicci and Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio has been postponed due to coronavirus and re-scheduled for 3 January 2022.

Italian Cup semifinals, 5 January 2022, Rome:

• Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano v Savino Del Bene Scandicci or Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio
• Igor Gorgonzola Novara v Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri

The final will be played on 6 January.

All matches of the Italian cup are available to watch live or on demand on VolleyballWorld.tv