On the other end of the standings, Monviso can't avoid relegation and join Perugia
Published 11:53, 21 Feb 2026
Busto players celebrate their qualification for the playoffs (Photo: LVF)
The 2025-2026 Lega Femminile Serie A1 Tigotà playoffs were set on Saturday, when, after almost five months of action, the regular season was concluded in Italy.
In an evening marked by excitement, which had as many as six teams fighting for something meaningful, Eurotek Laica UYBA Busto Arsizio had the last laugh, claiming the final spot in the postseason. On the contrary, Wash4Green Monviso Volley were crushed with relegation.
The last team to qualify, Busto will be faced with defending champions and regular-season winners Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs.
The other matchups will have second-placed Savino Del Bene Scandicci facing seventh-placed Bergamo, third-placed Numia Vero Volley Milano playing sixth-placed Megabox Ondulati Del Savio Vallefoglia and fourth-placed Igor Gorgonzola Novara battling fifth-placed Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri '76.
Busto entered Decision Day outside the qualification zone for the playoffs, trailing Il Bisonte Firenze by one point - 27 to 28 -, but got the job done and produced a strong comeback to beat Omag-Mt San Giovanni In Marignano 3-2 (25-23, 20-25, 18-25, 25-19, 21-19) and get to 29 points, passing their opponents in the last possible moment.
Opposite Josephine Obossa was huge in the most important match of the season for Busto, dropping 31 points (24 kills, four blocks, three aces) and helping them get the win.
"I'm very happy that we managed to get a win against one of the best teams in the Italian League right now," Busto's setter Nanami Seki said. "We went for the three points, but luckily two were enough."
A victory alone wouldn't be enough to get the 2011-2012 Italian League champions through, but Busto benefited from a 3-1 (25-23, 25-22, 18-25, 25-17) Firenze loss to Novara to make it to the playoffs for a second-straight season.
The battle against relegation was more complex, involving four teams, and included three matches that went to five sets.
Monviso, which started the day above the relegation line, ended it on the wrong side of it after losing to Conegliano 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-16, 25-16) and not managing to add to their 21 points.
They were then passed by CBF Balducci HR Macerata, which started the day with the same 21 points, but secured a massive reverse sweep (24-26, 19-25, 25-21, 25-14, 15-13) on the road against Bergamo to get to 23 and earn the right to continue in the Italian elite.
Honda Cuneo Granda Volley, which ended the regular season with 24 points after beating Vallefoglia 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 15-13), and San Giovanni, which also got to 24 after falling to Busto in the tie-breaker, are also guaranteed to continue in the first division.
The 13th and last leg of the second round of the regular season also had a Derby, which had Milano sweeping (25-19, 25-21, 25-23) world champions Scandicci. The seventh and last match had already-relegated Bartoccini-Mc Restauri Perugia leaving the Italian elite with a five-set (15-25, 16-25, 25-19, 25-14, 15-9) victory over Chieri.
Lega Volley Femminile - Match Schedule & Results
The Italian League playoffs will begin next weekend, with the first leg of the best-of-three quarterfinal series. Teams that finished the regular season in the top four spots will get to play two of the potential three matches at home.
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