Scandicci beats Milan in four sets

The race opened with a Milan winning the first part in the sprint. After a tight first set, the two teams ended in a draw at 20:20 and coach Gaspari’s team was able to prevail at 21:25.

Savino Del Bene Scandicci, trailing by a set to keep, changed the tempo in the second fraction and won 25-12 after an initial break. With a tied set count, Barbolini’s team conceded an encore in the third set and won 25:13.

The challenge then ended in the fourth set with Savino Del Bene Scandicci having to come back this time. In fact, Barbolini’s team found themselves in midfield, five points down (11-16), but had the strength to close the gap and win 25-23.

MVP of the challenge a super Antropova with 30 points, 3 aces and 4 winning blocks, but also the performance of a Pietrini author of 17 points with 68% in attack should be underlined.

Massimo Barbolini sets up his team with Di Iulio in dribbling, Antropova as an opponent, Beliën and Washington at centre-backs, Zhu and Pietrini in the band and Merlo as a free starter.

Coach Gaspari responds with Orro as the setter, Thompson as the opposite, Larson and Sylla in the band, with Stevanovic and Folie as the central players, and Parrocchiale as the libero.

Immediate thrilling game: Milan take a 2-0 lead with Larson’s ace, but Savino Del Bene Scandicci equalizes with Zhu Ting’s 3-3. Again with Zhu Ting, Savino Del Bene Scandicci also finds the first advantage (4-3), but Milan equalizes and continues with Thompson’s ace (4-5). The Lombard formation takes a 6-7 lead, but Savino Del Bene volley responds with three straight points and advances to 9-7 with a Pietrini shot. Folie compensates for the deficit with two consecutive points and equalizes to 10:10. However, the tie is temporary and Savino Del Bene Volley is two points behind (13-11), forcing coach Gaspari out of the game for the first time. After the break, the Lombards regained their level and even overtook Stevanovic’s 13:14 block. It’s Barbolini’s turn to resort to a time-out, and at the end of “time” a point-to-point challenge begins again. Milan manage to build a positive 17-20 game with a point from Thompson and coach Barbolini is forced to call his second time-out. Savino Del Bene Volley doesn’t give up and equalizes with the point 21-21 with an ace from Antropova. The draw by Savino Del Bene volley is followed by a time out by Gaspari and a great reaction by Milan, who wins the set 21-25 with Thompson.

Savino Del Bene Scandicci attacked early in the second half and two consecutive aces from Pietrini made it 6-1. Milan play from the set for the first time, but the trend doesn’t change and Savino Del Bene volley finds the 9:2 with Antropova. Milan are trying to come back and are catching up with slide 13-9, but the host center’s point is followed by two points from Pietrini and Antropova (15-9). Coach Gaspari tries to stop the sentence with a “time”, but the break doesn’t help the Lombards, who are sent down to 19:11 by Antropova directly with an ace. The set quickly slipped away, with Pietrini making the +10 and Zhu Ting putting the ace on the scoresheet from 24-12. The set point is instead of Washington, which established the 25-12 block.

At the beginning of the third set, Antropova appears as the main protagonist, Barbolini’s opponent scores 2-1 and then the ace to 3-1. Savino Del Bene Scandicci’s lead increases and Antropova’s block makes it 8-4. The first timeout comes into the set and Milan calls, bringing it back up to 9-7 after the break. At this point, it’s Barbolini’s turn to take a break and his team returns to +4 with Antropova and Zhu Ting (11-7) as they return to the field. On the winning block of 15-10 packed by Washington, Milan take another time out. Savino Del Bene Volley extended again with Pietrini’s +7. Antropova scores twice in a row to make it 21:13. The set ends with another tightly controlling Savino Del Bene volley: Di Iulio places the ace 24-13 while a Stevanovic error counts for the set point (25-13).

The start of the fourth set was very even, with the two teams drawing four times in the first eight changes (4-4). With three points in a row, Milan jump to a 5-8 lead and coach Barbolini decides to call a time-out. Savino Del Bene Scandicci tries to equal but only manages to -1 before being sent back by Retke with three straight points (10-14). A successful block from Foil makes it 11-16 and Barbolini, with his team five lengths behind, calls a time-out. Milan’s lead is not solid and after mistakes by Larson and Thompson (14-16) Gaspari uses a “pace” to crush Savino Del Bene’s comeback volley. The comeback of the Barbolini girls is unstoppable: Antropova blocks to 17:18, Pietrini equalizes (18:18). Savino Del Bene Scandicci also finds the overtake with Antropova’s 19-18 and it’s important for Gaspari to capitalize on the second time in their set. Milan find the equalizer and counterattack with the 19-20 signed with an ace by Candi. The 20-20 comes shortly after, this time due to a mistake by Candi himself. The final set is a point-to-point battle and Savino Del Bene Volley wins it 25-23.

THE PROTAGONISTS-

Massimo Barbolini (Coach Savino Del Bene Scandicci) – « I expected a game like this. It was a very hard-fought game, even if we won clearly in two sets, mainly thanks to the reception problems we created in Milan. We’re 1-0 up now, but the playoffs show that in a best-of-three series, everything can change in three days. Now we have to stay focused, but my compliments go to the girls because they played against a very strong team. We were good today, especially in the fourth set when we were five points behind, but we managed to correct the result. We can play better and I think we will need it on Sunday, also because for them race 2 will be their last resort and therefore it will be a very difficult challenge ».

Municipality of Beatrice (Vero Volley Milan)- « We played the first set very well. We never gave up, suffered in some moments but we came back with character and order in the crucial moments. In the two middle movements, on the other hand, we had those blackouts that have accompanied us a bit this season. Now we need to rest and think about Game 2. They played a great match: they served and were specific in attack with Pietrini and Antropova. We have to be able to stop them on Sunday.”

THE TABLE-

SAVINO DEL BENE SCANDICCI – TRUE VOLLEYBALL MILAN 3: 1 (21:25 25:12 25:13 25:23)

SAVINO DEL BENE SCANDICCI: Pietrini 17, Belien 7, Antropova 30, Zhu 16, Washington 6, Di Iulio 1, Merlo (L), Mingardi 1, Yao. Do not enter: Castillo, Angeloni (L), Alberti, Shcherban, Sorokaite. Herd Barbolini.

REAL MILAN VOLLEYBALL: Larson 7, Foil 10, Thompson 21, Sylla 2, Stevanovic 4, Orro 1, Parrocchiale (L), Rettke 5, Begic 3, Stysiak 2, Candi 1, Davyskiba. Do not enter: Allard, Negretti (L). Alles. Gaspari.

REFEREE: Saltalippi, Brancati.

NOTES – Set Duration: 29′, 22′, 23′, 31′; Total: 105′.

MVP: Ekaterina Antropova (Savino Del Bene Scandicci)

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