Defending champions Conegliano celebrate world title with their fans
Published 09:42, 26 Dec 2024
Bergamo had a strong performance to end Busto's winning streak (Photo: Lega Volley Femminile)
Bergamo were able to extend their Holidays celebrations into Boxing Day, securing a massive victory the day after Christmas, during the second leg of the second round of the regular season of the 2024-2025 Lega Volley Femminile Serie A1 Tigotà.
The first team to take Eurotek Uyba Busto Arsizio down in the Italian League since November 10, Bergamo gained two spots with their 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-21) victory, now appearing in fifth place with 27 points (nine wins, six losses).
Busto were the hottest team in the Italian League in the last two months as they entered Thursday’s encounter on a six-match winning streak. The defeat to Bergamo also marks the first match in which the team didn’t collect any points since head coach Enrico Barbolini took over, on October 25 – the team won nine out of 11 matches since his arrival.
In order to beat Busto, Bergamo counted on a strong performance from Cuban outside hitter Ailama Cesé, who tallied a match-high 23 points, with 20 kills and three blocks. Czech outside hitter and team captain Michaela Mlejnková added another 11, with six kills, three aces and two blocks.
“We knew this was going to be a tough match,” Cesé reflected. “We had done well against them in the first round, but they improved a lot since then. Today we did a good job with our blocking and took the win.”
Busto, who started the round in fifth place, dropped two spots and are now seventh. They were also passed by Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76, who got to the same 26 points (ten wins, five losses) they have, but have one more win thanks to their 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-19, 25-20) victory over Honda Olivero Cuneo.
Back in Italy after their victory at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship last week in China, defending champions Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano made the absolute most of the reunion with their fans, celebrating their historic victory while also adding another win, the 14th, to their undefeated Italian League campaign.
Playing in a packed Palaverde, in Villorba, the world champions swept Cda Volley Talmassons Fvg 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 28-26), igniting a big party, that also included the players presenting the Club World Championship trophy to their fans.
Using mostly a reserve lineup, Conegliano had American outside hitter Khalia Lanier as their leading scorer with 18 points (16 kills, two aces). The MVP of the Club World Championship, Swedish star opposite Isabelle Haak added another 11, with eight kills and three blocks.
“It was a weird match in some aspects,” Lanier said. “We were kind of in a different rhythm after our title and our trip back from China and Talmassons did a very good job of challenging us. We were great at finding the energy to secure the win. Now we need to rest and recover because every match in the Italian League is difficult.”
The other three teams that form the Lega Femminile top four also won, with second-placed Savino Del Bene Scandicci topping Il Bisonte Firenze 3-1 (27-29, 25-18, 25-13, 25-18), third-placed Igor Gorgonzola Novara overcoming Wash4Green Pinerolo 3-1 (27-29, 25-19, 25-18, 25-23) and fourth-placed Numia Vero Volley Milano sweeping SMI Roma Volley 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-23). The other match of the day saw Megabox Ondulati Savio Vallefoglia beat Bartoccini-MC Restauri Perugia 3-1 (19-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-19).
Lega Volley Femmnilie – Match Schedule & Results
This weekend, it will be time for the quarterfinal round of the Coppa Italia, with three matches taking place on Sunday and one on Monday.
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