Playoffs: Scandicci Reopens Series, Milano Defeated in Game 3

Savino Del Bene Volley Scandicci has secured a vital victory against Vero Volley Milano in Game 3 of the playoffs, reigniting their championship aspirations. The return of Maja Ognjenovic coincided with Scandicci's resurgence, as they dominated the first set, largely due to an exceptional performance by Caterina Bosetti.

In the second set, Scandicci maintained control, holding a 24-21 lead. However, a determined comeback from Milano, spearheaded by Bosio's serving, saw the visitors snatch the set 24-26 after extra points. With the sets leveled, the match remained intensely competitive. It was Ekaterina Antropova's decisive play, contributing 9 crucial points, that propelled Scandicci to claim the third set 25-22. The final set, despite an early advantage for Milano (led by Egonu), saw Scandicci rally to close the gap and ultimately triumph 25-20, clinching the match.

Ekaterina Antropova was the standout performer, delivering a masterful offensive display with an astounding 35 points, including 3 blocks and 3 aces, earning her the titles of Top Scorer and MVP. Other key contributors for Scandicci included Skinner (12 points), Bosetti (11), and Nwakalor (10). For Milano, Paola Egonu led with 27 points, supported by Piva (15) and Kurtagic (8).

Playing on their home court, Savino Del Bene Volley demonstrated superior blocking (10 successful blocks compared to Milano's 7) and serving (4-2). They also recorded higher attack efficiency (48% vs. 43%). Milano, however, showcased greater precision in reception (62% vs. 58%).

This victory extends Scandicci's journey in the Scudetto Play Offs. The team will now travel to the Allianz Cloud in Milano on Sunday, March 29th, at 8:30 PM, aiming to force a decisive Game 5.

For Game 3 of the Scudetto Semifinal, Coach Gaspari fielded a lineup featuring the returning Ognjenovic at setter, Antropova as opposite, Bosetti and Skinner as outside hitters, Weitzel and Nwakalor at middle blocker, and Castillo as libero. Vero Volley Milano's starting seven included Bosio and Egonu in the diagonal, Piva and Lanier at outside hitter, Danesi and Kurtagic as middle blockers, and Fersino as libero.

Detailed Set Breakdown

• Set 1 (25-21 Scandicci): Scandicci initiated with strength, with Bosetti and Antropova establishing and maintaining an early lead, concluding the set with a Bosetti block.
• Set 2 (24-26 Milano): Scandicci held a comfortable lead, but Milano, invigorated by Lanier's entrance, mounted a strong comeback from 24-21 down to win in extended play.
• Set 3 (25-22 Scandicci): Despite Milano's early parity, consistent contributions from Nwakalor and Antropova allowed Scandicci to regain and hold their lead, with Antropova ultimately closing the set.
• Set 4 (25-20 Scandicci): Milano took an early lead, but Scandicci, propelled by Nwakalor and two crucial aces from Antropova, closed the gap and surged ahead to secure the set and the match.

Coaches' Comments

Marco Gaspari (Coach, Savino Del Bene Scandicci): "It was crucial to reopen the series. I want to express immense gratitude to Marta Bechis for her incredible work, stepping in as our primary setter and captain during such a critical playoff phase and our Champions League challenges. And a huge round of applause for Maja Ognjenovic. She hadn't touched a ball for a month, only doing so yesterday for the first time, yet she played with humility and a strong desire to contribute. This team, in my opinion, deserves this for an incredible season. The match was intense, as I expected, and at times nervous. It's a shame about the second set, as this time it was ours to lose. But the team reacted magnificently; that set could have been a knockout blow. I repeat myself, perhaps I'm boring, but I have an amazing group that comes to the gym every day striving for improvement. After the match, I noticed they weren't over-celebrating; we exchanged a few words, and our focus is already on Game 4. We want to try and push the series further, knowing that a very aggressive Vero Volley awaits us in Milan. We recognize we need to do a little more in serving and defense, because today I really liked the team's blocking, but in serving and defense, we can still take another step, and that step will be decisive in determining whether we reach Game 5 or not."

Francesca Bosio (Numia Vero Volley Milano): "It's a pity; I don't believe we played with the right aggression today. They imposed their rhythm from the start, and we struggled in all fundamentals. I'm disappointed because in the second set we managed to reopen the match with a great display of character and desire to win. In the third and fourth sets, the game remained balanced, with moments favoring both us and them. Today we made several errors and could certainly have performed better in our blocking-defense phase. We will review the match to analyze what we did well and what we can improve for Game 4."

Match Summary

SAVINO DEL BENE SCANDICCI - NUMIA VERO VOLLEY MILANO 3-1
(Set Scores: 25-21, 24-26, 25-22, 25-20)

SAVINO DEL BENE SCANDICCI: Ognjenovic 1, Skinner 12, Nwakalor 10, Antropova 35, Bosetti 11, Weitzel 6, Castillo (L). Substitutes: Ruddins, Bechis. Did not play: Graziani, Mancini, Ribechi (L), Franklin, Bernardeschi. Coach: Gaspari.

NUMIA VERO VOLLEY MILANO: Bosio 4, Piva 15, Danesi 6, Egonu 27, Pietrini 3, Kurtagic 8, Fersino (L). Substitutes: Lanier 4, Akimova 2, Sartori, Miner. Did not play: Cagnin, Modesti (L), Gelin. Coach: Lavarini.

Referees: Vagni, Salvati.
Set Durations: 24', 27', 24', 24'; Total Match Duration: 99'.
MVP: Ekaterina Antropova (Savino Del Bene Volley)
Spectators: 2636