Luxembourg, March 19, 2019. Italy’s Imoco Volley CONEGLIANO and Turkey’s Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL secured their spots in the semi-finals of the 2019 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Women and shaped up one of the ultimate clashes on the road to the May 18 Super Finals in Berlin. Imoco performed a miracle to overcome their titanic opponents in the quarterfinals, Turkish powerhouse Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL, with a Golden Set. Fenerbahce narrowly avoided the fate of their fellow citizens by overturning a two-set deficit against another Italian hopeful, Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI.
• Imoco Volley CONEGLIANO mastered a sensational turnaround in their quarterfinal series against Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL. Having lost the first-leg game at home in straight sets, the Italian squad not only won the return match during their visit at the Turkish giant’s home ground, but also triumphed in the Golden Set by 15-10 to claim a spot among the semifinalists.
• Imoco’s Kimberly Hill was the best scorer of the match with 25 points to her name.
• “It was an incredible game!” Imoco’s captain Joanna Wolosz exclaimed. “We really believed in our chances until the end. We gave our best and showed that we are a great team."
• Having lost the first-leg game at home in four sets, Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI seemed well on track to repeat the feat of their compatriots as they took a two-set lead against Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL at the Burhan Felek Volleyball Hall. However, the home side put their act together to win the next three sets and avoid falling into the unknowns of a Golden Set.
• Fenerbahce’s Melissa Teresa Vargas Abreu piled up a fantastic tally of 35 points to top the scorers’ chart of the game.
• Fenerbahce will travel for the first-leg semifinal fixture in Italy set to take place between April 2 and 4 before entertaining Imoco in the second-leg game between April 9 and 11 in Turkey.
Triumphant Fenerbahce libero Melis Yilmaz
Click the links below for further info:
Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL (TUR) vs. Imoco Volley CONEGLIANO (ITA) 1-3 (21-25, 23-25, 25-21, 21-25); Golden Set 10-15
Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL (TUR) vs. Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI (ITA) 3-2 (19-25, 26-28, 25-22, 25-17, 15-8)
