The adventure of Stefano Lavarini’s Igor Volley in the championship playoffs begins on the right foot: dragged by the Karakurt-Daalderop duo (awarded with merit MVP of the match), authors of 28 points in two, the Azzurre close in three sets and take the lead in the series with Cuneo. On Tuesday evening game two away (live on Rai Sport at 20.30): in case of success the Azzurre would detach the pass for the semifinals, while otherwise the verdict would be postponed to game three.

Igor on the court with Karakurt opposite Hancock, Chirichella and Washington central, Daalderop and Bosetti spikers and Fersino free; Cuneo with Signorile in the direction and Gicquel in the diagonal, Stufi and Squarcini in the center, Jasper and Degradi in the band and Spirito libero.

After two consecutive errors (0-3), Karakurt shifts into gear and Novara goes back from 1-5 (ace by Gicquel) to 4-5, with the Azzurri defense repeatedly exalting itself; Degradi’s mistake is worth the parity (6-6), Daalderop overtakes in maniout after a great defense by Bosetti and the teams engage in a tight point to point that continues until 12-12. Karakurt in parallel brings the Azzurre back ahead (13-12), a block by Daalderop and a guest invasion are worth 15-12, then Bosetti (winning parallel, 17-13) and Daalderop (pipe scored, 18-13) mortgage the partial with Novara who shortly after makes 20-14 with Chirichella blocking. Kuznetsova enters and brings back under his serve (20-18), then Novara does not stop anymore and first wins the set point with Karakurt (24-19), then closes the set with Daalderop’s maniout, at 25-19.

Cuneo with Kuznetsova in the sextet but it is Novara who starts very strong with Chirichella who makes the void in the serve, forcing the guests to timeout at 5-0. Pistola also launches Agrifoglio and Zanette but Novara extends 10-4 with Bosetti’s block and shortly after it is Hancock who finds the +9 by “stopping” Degradi, who has recently returned, on 14-5. Hancock finds the ace with the help of the tape (17-7), Karakurt approaches the finish line diagonally (21-9) but Cuneo reacts and tries to get back into the game, shortening 22-14 and then, at 24-15 (Washington wall), canceling two set balls. Karakurt closes, in maniout, 25-17.

Cuneo shuffles the cards with Giovannini, Agrifoglio and Zanette on the court, the teams proceed head to head until 7-7, then Bosetti signs in maniout the 8-7 while Chirichella takes a blow and is replaced as a precaution by Bonifacio; Karakurt finds the break on the wall (11-9), Daalderop stretches diagonally (12-9) and then signs the decisive stretch on 17-12 while Lavarini sends D’Odorico and Herbots to the court. The Belgian enters and places two heavy points (22-13), the Azzurre arrive at the match ball and D’Odorico diagonally closes the match, on 25-16.

Stefano Lavarini (coach Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “We worked well with the defensive wall and in general we offered a convincing performance, despite not having had a very high efficiency in attack for two sets. I think we started off on the right foot, but now we have to start working for game two, because in Cuneo it will certainly be a different game and we will need a great performance.”

Nika Daalderop (spiker Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “Maybe at the beginning we were a bit nervous, then once we loosened up we worked well, doing what we had to and working well against a team that with its level of defense is capable of putting us in difficulty. We are happy with how the series has started but we are also aware of the fact that on Tuesday they will give everything to extend the challenge and we will have to be good at maintaining our level of play”.

Igor Gorgonzola Novara – Bosca San Bernardo Cuneo 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-16)
Igor Gorgonzola Novara: Imperiali (L) ne, Herbots 2, Battistoni ne, Fersino (L), Bosetti 8, Chirichella 7, Hancock 3, Bonifacio, Washington 7, Costantini ne, D’Odorico 1, Daalderop 12, Karakurt 16. Coach: Lavarini.
Bosca San Bernardo Cuneo: Kuznetsova 2, Degradi 8, Squarcini 4, Spirito (L), Giovannini 4, Zanette 5, Agrifoglio, Gicquel 4, Signorile 1, Caruso ne, Jasper 1, Gay (L) ne, Stufi 5. Coach: Pistola.
MVP Nika Daalderop