Igor Volley repeats the 1-3 in Istanbul and conquers access to the semifinals of the Champions League for the second consecutive time. The Azzurre also dispel a taboo: for the first time, in fact, they won a home win in the knockout phase against a Turkish team. MVP award of the match to captain Chirichella, decisive in several times of the match.

Novara on the field with Hancock in the direction and Smarzek diagonally, Chirichella and Washington in the center, Bosetti and Herbots in the band and Sansonna free; Fenerbahce with Vargas opposite Aydemir, Babat and Toksoy central, Mihajlovic and Robinson spikers and Yilmaz free.

Hancock immediately forces the serve and makes it 6-0 with two aces, while the guests (without captain Erdem and returning from a week of “stop” due to Covid-19 infections in the team) struggle to get going and Novara flies 13-3 with Smarzek and Herbots on the shields. Terzic stops the game in vain (17-6) but in the final Novara does not slow down and leads 25-16 with Smarzek’s winning diagonal.

Smarzek immediately breaks on the block and in attack (3-1) and a double from Washington forces Terzic to timeout at 7-3; the Turks shake up and come back 9-8 (Toksoy), putting the arrow shortly after with Mihajlovic’s block (12-13) but Novara relies on Washington who first counterpasses in fast (16-15) and then breaks at the wall (18-16) on her compatriot Robinson. In fact, it is the seal on the set and on the qualification, with the break continuing until 21-16 and Fenerbahce losing the rhythm: Herbots wins the set ball in maniout (24-17) and a first half by Chirichella sends the Azzurre to 2-0 and to the semifinals (25-18).

Guests with Busa in the sextet and a flying start (1-8) while Novara struggles to get going, so much so that at 4-12 Lavarini plays the Daalderop card in the band. Populini and Zanette also enter and the blue opposite makes 8-16 in maniout but Novara struggles to come back, with the guests who bring +9 with Aydemir’s second attack (12-21) which is the prelude to the end of the partial. Populini is the last to surrender (15-23), then the newcomer Kestirengoz closes the accounts diagonally (16-25).

Formations on the field with revolutionized sextets in the fourth set (among the Azzurre also Battistoni and, in the run, Napodano), with Novara immediately going 3-0 with two points from Daalderop and the Dutchman shortly after also makes 7-2 in serve, forcing Terzic to timeout. Zanette grinds points (12-5, maniout) and again Daalderop approaches the finish line (16-6) while Fenerbahce stops the game in vain. He closes, without further jolts, an ace by Chirichella on 25-11.

In the semifinals, it will be the Italian derby against Conegliano: the Venetians overcame the Tuscans of Scandicci in the double confrontation (double victory 2-3 in the first leg and 3-0 at home).

Alessia Populini (spiker Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “I am really happy to have been able to contribute to this prestigious result for the club and for the team. The Champions League is a beautiful tournament, I am participating for the first time and I am enjoying all the emotions of this competition. Now we look ahead, we will do everything to extend our adventure even further”.

Stefano Lavarini (coach Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “We are very happy to have reached this milestone, I think what made the difference was the approach with the team that immediately pushed hard and put the game on the right track. Now we enjoy the success and then we start working for the Italian Cup: next week an important challenge awaits us against Florence, with the Final Four up for grabs”.

Igor Gorgonzola Novara – Fenerbahce Opet Istanbul 3-1 (25-16, 25-18, 16-25, 25-11)
Igor Gorgonzola Novara: Populini 5, Herbots 11, Napodano (L), Zanette 8, Battistoni, Bosetti 6, Chirichella 7, Sansonna (L), Hancock 3, Bonifacio, Tajè ne, Washington 8, Smarzek 8, Daalderop 10. Coach: Lavarini.
Fenerbahce Opet Istanbul: Yilmaz (L), Robinson 3, Sengun 1, Cetin (L) ne, Babat 7, Vargas 17, Busa 1, Toksoy 8, Mihajlovic 6, Kurt 1, Aydemir 1, Kestirengoz 4. Coach Terzic.
MVP Cristina Chirichella