Imoco get massive road win to tie Lega Finals

The playing field in the 2023-2024 Lega Pallavolo Femminile Serie A Tigotà Finals is absolutely even after the conclusion of the second match in the best-of-five series that will determine the Italian champions on Saturday.

If on Wednesday it were Savino Del Bene Scandicci to pull off a five-set road win to start the series, on Saturday defending champions Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano did the same, generating a 1-1 tie that guarantees that the battle in the Scudetto Finals will have at least another two chapters.

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Facing a crowded Pallazo Wanny, in Firenze, Imoco showed resilience to come back twice and take the match 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, 15-11), getting the first of three wins they need to claim the Italian title for a sixth straight time.

The Panthers didn’t manage to reduce the number of errors they had made in the first match (26), instead giving up 35 points to Scandicci, but had great efficiency in critical moments and counted on a well-balanced offense and an excellent performance of libero Monica De Gennaro, the match’s MVP, to secure the win.

The offense ran by Joanna Wolosz had four hitters scoring in double digits and a fifth coming up just one point short of doing the same. Swedish opposite Isabelle Haak led the team with 27 points (24 kills, two blocks, one ace), followed by outside hitters Kathryn Plummer (17) and Kelsey Cook (ten) and middle blockers Marina Lubian (11) and Sarah Fahr (nine).

“Any Finals is a grind,” Cook remarked. “We must reset and bring our best game in the next match.”

Scandicci had the match’s top scorer in opposite Ekaterina Antropova, with 34 points (29 kills, three aces, two blocks), and also got solid contributions from outside hitters Zhu Ting (12) and Britt Herbots (ten).

“It was a great match, just like the first one,” head coach Massimo Barbolini reflected. “On Wednesday they could have won it, in the same way we had our chances today. They’re a team that won’t give us any points to win the game, so even if we need only two more points, we’ll have to work for them. They are more accustomed than us to delivered in moments like these and that’s something we can’t ignore. But we go to match three with series open.”

The series continues on Wednesday

The battle for the Italian title continues on Wednesday, at 20:30 local time (18:30 GMT), when the critical match three will be played – the winners will be just one win away from the Scudetto. Imoco will be at home this time, hosting the match at the Palaverde, in Villorba.

Lega Femminile - Match Schedule and Results

Now confirmed, match four will be played in Firenze on April 27. If a fifth and final match is needed, it will be held in Villorba, on April 30.

Quick links:
Lega Pallavolo Femminile Serie A1 Tigotà
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