Conegliano extend title dream in #CLVolleyW with strong win against Milano in Italian derby

A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano became the first team to secure a ticket for this season’s CEV Champions League Women final, after a dramatic 3:1 win against domestic rivals Numia Vero Volley Milano, in the rematch of last season’s final.

This is Conegliano’s sixth final in the last eight seasons – excluding the Covid-19 cancelled season, 2019/20, with the Italian side now looking for back-to-back wins in the European premium competition.

With 15 consecutive losses in all competitions against rivals A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano, Numia Vero Volley Milano were hoping to avenge those losses – including one in last season’s Super Finals – in the first semi-final of the current season of the CEV Champions League Volley Women.

And for a short time, they looked to be on the right path, especially after a strong display in the start of the first set, when Paola Egonu delivered an ace and some excellent spikes, providing six of Milano’s first 16 points.

In that short span, the Italian side opened a 10:6 lead, as Conegliano, which had previously won three times against their rivals in the past two weeks, looked dumbfounded. This prompted Conegliano’s coach, Daniele Santarelli, to take the first time-out, and it worked out like a charm, with his team tying the score, 13:13.

Some mega rallies won by Milano, with Egonu shining once again on the court, helped them to take a 15:13 lead, but it was the last time when last season’s runners-up led the match, as Conegliano delivered a stupendous finish in the first set.

Both Isabelle Haak and Zhu Ting scored five points each in the first set, where Conegliano used a 5:1 run to turn the match their way. And when Zhu Ting delivered the last spike of the set, Conegliano had won 12 of the last 18 points, to clinch the set, 25:21.

With an attacking efficiency of only 37% in the first set, Conegliano still had room to improve and they duly did that in the second half, with a storming start, 10:5, on the back of some strong serves from Sarah Fahr and the same attacking prowess of Ting and Haak, who were still the the match’s top scorers.

While the first set was close for two of its thirds, the second one looked to turn into a procession, as Conegliano took over the reigns, to deliver a 17:10 lead, as Gabi Guimaraes followed Haak and Zhu Ting into scoring at free will.

With Egonu pulled out of the court by coach Stefano Lavarini, it looked like Milano did not have a chance, but they rallied back and cut the gap to three points, 17:14, with four unanswered points, as this prompted Lavarini to bring back Egonu on the court.

And with an absolutely incredible 12:1 run, which left Conegliano failing to believe their eyes, Milano were suddenly up, 23:18, with all the momentum shifting their way and a set which was almost lost, pitching their way.

Eventually, as this comeback was fueled by Héléna Cazaute and Paola Egonu, Milano clinched a 25:20 win in the second set, with Conegliano having a few questions to answer, provided they wanted to extend their winning run in the CEV Champions League Women.

Shook, but not down, Conegliano went back to basics and this wake-up call proved to be decisive in the third set, where Haak and Zhu Ting shined once again, providing much needed points, as the reigning champions were back in business.

After a 37% attacking efficiency in the first set and a 38% attacking efficiency in the second set, Conegliano looked much improved and dominated the third set, where they clinched a 25:17 win, the clearest one so far in the match.

Numia Vero Volley Milano led only once, 1:0, tried to repeat their antics from the second set, as they went as close as three points, with Cazaute reaching 14 points by this moment in the match, yet Conegliano eventually went only one set close to another berth for the last act of the competition.

Playing for their lives in the fourth set, Milano took the lead and kept it until midway, when a 4:0 run for Conegliano saw the reigning champions take the lead, 14:12, in spite of some mishaps in their play, with several miscommunications gifting Milano some easy points.

Milano bounced back, to tie the score, 18:18, but Zhu Ting was absolute immense, with consecutive spikes, to help Conegliano close to four points to the win, 21:18, with three consecutive points. 

But it was not to be again, as Milano’s comeback was stopped by a spike from Gabi Guimaraes, with Conegliano taking the fourth set, 25:23, and the win, as Zhu Ting finished with 21 points and Haak added 20 more, in the ninth consecutive win for Conegliano of the season in the CEV Champions League Women.

This will be the sixth time when Conegliano play for the trophy in the CEV Champions League Women, winning two titles and conceding three losses so far, while Milano are due to fight for the bronze medal on Sunday.