Igor Gorgonzola Novara faces an uphill battle in the CEV Cup playoffs after a 3-1 loss to Kuzeyboru Aksaray in the first leg. A dominant performance from Anna Lazareva, who scored 31 points with a 60% attack rate, proved decisive for the Turkish side. Novara struggled with errors in both serving and attacking, impacting their performance in the closely contested first and fourth sets.
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In the opening set, Novara held an early lead but faltered under Kuzeyboru’s defensive pressure, eventually losing 25-23. The Italian side bounced back in the second set with a commanding 25-15 win.
However, Kuzeyboru regained momentum in the third set, capitalizing on Novara’s serving inconsistencies and cruising to a 25-13 victory. The fourth set was a nail-biter, with Novara closing in late, but a referee decision on a block sealed a 25-23 win for the Turkish team.
To progress, Novara must win the return match on January 22 at Pala Igor with a 3-0 or 3-1 scoreline to force a decisive golden set for a place in the quarterfinals.
Match Scores:
Kuzeyboru Aksaray – Igor Gorgonzola Novara: 3-1 (25-23, 15-25, 25-13, 25-23)
Top Performers:
- Kuzeyboru: Anna Lazareva (31 points), Dimitrova (11 points), Kurilo (13 points)
- Novara: Ebrar Karakurt Tolok (20 points), Sara Bonifacio (15 points), Yuka Ishikawa (11 points)
The second leg promises to be a high-stakes clash as Novara fights to stay alive in the tournament.