Lausanne, Switzerland, May 7, 2019 - It took them five sets to do so (following two clean sweeps) but Imoco Volley Conegliano were crowned Italian champions Monday night at the PalaVerde as they wrapped up the best-of-five final series of the Women's A1 League after only three matches with a dramatic 3-2 (25-16, 23-25, 25-11, 20-25, 15-13) win over Igor Gorgonzola Novara.
Croatia's Samanta Fabris top-scored for Conegliano on 22 points with USA's Kim Hill close on her heels on 19. Also scoring in double digits were Miriam Sylla and the Netherlands' Robin de Kruijf on 12 each. Paola Egonu was top scorer of the game overall with 33 points (including four blocks), but she was all alone - the next best scorer for Novara being USA's Michelle Bartsch-Hackley on just 10.
It was Conegliano's third Italian championship title and second consecutive, after their successes in 2016 and 2018 in a rematch of last year's final series.
The two teams meet again on May 18 in the all-Italian European Champions League final at Berlin's Max Schmeling Halle in the very last match of the club season, before all the international players join their national teams ahead of the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League which begins just three days later.
Quick links - Volleyball:
FIVB.com - Volleyball Nations League
FIVB.com - Volleyball
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