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Firenze recovers to take eighth place after a thrilling road victory
In the ongoing race for the playoffs in the 2023-2024 Lega Pallavolo Femminile Serie A Tigotà, Il Bisonte Firenze made a significant move this weekend during the second leg of the second round of the regular season. Led by outside hitters Lina Alsmeier and Mayu Ishikawa, Firenze secured a crucial away victory against Wash4Green Pinerolo on Sunday, propelling them into eighth place in the standings.
Following a previous home loss to Savino Del Bene Scandicci on December 26, Firenze bounced back by defeating Pinerolo 3-1 (25-22, 25-18, 24-26, 25-20), accumulating 19 points with seven wins and eight losses. This propelled them past Roma Volley Club, who suffered a 3-0 defeat against Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri on Saturday, leaving them with 18 points from six wins and nine losses.
Firenze relied on standout performances from their dynamic outside hitter duo to secure an upset victory against Pinerolo, currently placed sixth in the standings with 21 points (seven wins, eight losses). The Most Valuable Player (MVP), Alsmeier, made a significant impact with 28 points, including 22 kills, four blocks, and two aces. Japanese star Ishikawa also contributed impressively with 22 points, comprising 20 kills and two aces.
Setter Ilaria Battistoni expressed her satisfaction with the victory, emphasizing its importance after their recent loss. Battistoni acknowledged the team’s resilience in coming back to win the fourth set, highlighting the need for improvement while recognizing that the match showcased their progress. She noted that when their passing is effective, they can execute a fast-paced offense, making it challenging for their opponents – a strategy that proved successful in the match against Pinerolo.
Firenze’s triumph stood as the sole upset during the weekend, with the higher-ranked teams prevailing in the other five matches. This trend included the league leaders, Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano, who played at home against Honda Olivero S. Bernardo Cuneo. Imoco Conegliano secured a convincing 3-0 victory (25-22, 25-21, 25-19) with a standout performance from Swedish star opposite Isabelle Haak, contributing 16 points through 14 kills and two blocks.
Mazzanti’s Trentino debut is ruined by Milano
On Sunday, Allianz Vero Volley Milano, currently in second place, spoiled the debut of former Italian national team head coach Davide Mazzanti with Itas Trentino, securing a dominant 3-0 victory (25-13, 25-23, 25-22). Paola Egonu, a former member of Mazzanti’s national team, delivered an outstanding performance, amassing 20 points (16 kills, three aces, one block) in just three sets.
Milano’s middle blocker, Raphaela Folie, commented on the match, stating, “We started the match well, with the right attitude. They struggled a little bit at the beginning, but never gave up and then found their rhythm, creating many difficulties for us. I think we did a good job in the key moments and managed to get a nice 3-0 win at home.”
In another match involving the Italian ‘Big Three,’ Savino Del Bene Scandicci faced Uyba Volley Busto Arsizio on Saturday. Despite dropping a set, Scandicci secured a 3-1 victory (25-22, 18-25, 25-15, 25-11), with opposite Ekaterina Antropova leading the way with 21 points (15 kills, five aces, one block).
In the final match of the weekend, seventh-placed Megabox Ondulati Savio Vallefoglia dominated 12th-placed Volley Bergamo 1991 to secure a 3-1 home victory on Saturday (25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 25-13).
The match between Trasportipesanti Casalmaggiore and Igor Gorgonzola Novara was postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date. The upcoming Italian League calendar for next week will feature two matches on Saturday and five on Sunday.
