Milan knocked out in tie-break, Conegliano takes Game 1 of scudetto final

Bitter tie-breaker for Numia Vero Volley Milano, which loses game-1 of the scudetto final against Prosecco Doc A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano. At PalaVerde the hosts start better: in the first set Joanna Wolosz distributes very effectively and Milan struggles, with Paola Egonu stopped at only three points after her brilliant performance in the semifinal against Scandicci.

In the second partial the Milanese captain changes gear and, together with Khalia Lanier, signs an important +6. The lead, however, is not enough: Conegliano reacts and drags the set to the advantages, where a Francesca Bosio wall on Gabi makes it 1-1.

On the wave of enthusiasm Milan continues to push and completes the overtaking in the third set, putting in trouble a Conegliano rarely so struggling in a scudetto final. The inertia seems to be on the side of the guests, but at the start of the fourth set comes the decisive episode: Egonu injures her calf while attempting a defensive recovery and is forced out, making way for Vita Akimova. The Russian offers a good contribution, but Conegliano takes advantage to take the challenge back to the tie-break.

In the decisive set Milan tries to escape with a wall by Hena Kurtagic, but Zhu Ting restores the balance. The Serbian powerhouse then signs +3 at the changeover, but Zhu again brings everything back to even at 10-10. Egonu, not at her best, goes out again and Akimova misses a heavy attack, allowing Conegliano to put its head back ahead. In the final Egonu comes back in, but it is a service error of her own that ends the match. The series now moves to Lombardy: game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. at Allianz Cloud.