Scandicci aim for seventh consecutive flawless win in quarter-final against Łódź

Neither PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź, nor Savino Del Bene Scandicci have qualified so far for the semi-finals of the CEV Champions League Women, making their encounter in this season’s quarter-finals even more special.

The Italian side has not put a foot wrong in this season, winning all their six matches in the 4th round in straight sets, being the only team in the competition to sweep their opponents, with the first place between the pool winners secured.

Now, Scandicci, which were runners-up in the Italian league last season, behind the reigning CEV Champions League Women title holders, A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano, have the chance to write history and compete for the title in the European premium competition, as they will be favoured against Polish side PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź in the quarter-finals.

Winners of the CEV Volleyball Cup Women in 2023 and the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup Women in 2022, the Italian powerhouse has already been in the quarter-finals in the CEV Champions League Women in all of their previous five appearances in the competition, but missed out on a place in the semi-finals each time.

They can become the second team in history to win all their first seven matches with a 3:0 scoreline in the European premium competition, after A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano have already clinched that performance in the 2021/22 season.

Scandicci will likely rely once again on superstar Ekaterina Antropova, who has the largest number of points scored by any player of the Italian side, 91, while also boasting the highest tally of points scored per set, 6.45, in the current season of the European premium competition.

Nevertheless, Scandicci showed some frailties – in the words of their coach, Marco Gaspari, “tiredness” – in the last match before the showdown against PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź, when they conceded a 1:3 home loss in the last round of the regular season in the Italian league, against Igor Gorgonzola Novara.

Scandicci’s opponent, PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź, have reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their six appearances in the European premium competition, and are the first club since Scandicci, in the 2020/21 season, to start in the qualifying rounds and reach the quarter-finals.

Tired legs could also be a factor for the Polish side, which has played 37 sets in this season of the CEV Champions League Women, more than double the number of what Scandicci spent on the court, with 18 sets.

"This is a huge success for each of us. Our club has reached the top eight teams in Europe for the first time. We can enjoy this moment, but it's definitely not the end. In the next matches, we'll come out recharged and will want to play good games against Scandicci," said Łódź’s Justyna Łysiak, after the Polish side eliminated Serbian team Tent Obrenovac in the play-offs.

Łódź will have a mountain to climb to seal their semi-finals spot, as Scandicci have lost a single match in six ties against Polish opposition, while winning both matches against BKS Bostik ZGO Bielsko-Biała, 3:0, in the 4th round.

But the Polish side has some powerful weapons on their side. In this season’s Champions League, only Allianz MTV Stuttgart’s Krystal Rivers (157) scored more points than Paulina Damaske (148). Damaske and Terry Enweonwu each scored 32 points for PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź in the play-offs.

"I think that’s what we’re focusing on the most this season. We’re so close now. For each of us, it’s a new challenge. I think we’ll approach this match not only with sentiment, but it will simply be a good match and a showcase of strength — I hope," said Paulina Damaske