For the third time in the last seven seasons, the final of the CEV Volleyball Cup Women will feature Romanian side CS Volei Alba Blaj against an Italian side. After Blaj conceded two losses against Yamamay Busto Arsizio in the 2018/19 season and against Savino Del Bene Scandicci in the 2022/23 season, Blaj will face Igor Gorgonzola Novara.
Novara had six wins in the previous seven matches in the current season of the CEV Volleyball Cup Women, with the only loss coming against Turkish side Kuzeyboruspor in the play-offs.
Therefore, Novara were extra careful before the second leg of the semi-final against another Turkish side, THY Istanbul, despite winning the first leg, 3:0. And they made no missteps, despite being tested by their opponents, especially in the first set.
Novara led throughout the first set and eventually clinched it, 27:25, despite having a lower attacking efficiency than THY. With Tatiana Tolok (15 points) and Mayu Ishikawa (10 points) in fine form, the Italian side clinched the next two sets, 26:24 and 25:18, leading from start to finish.
“I am very happy with the result, we knew it would be a tough match against a strong opponent, who can boast a top roster and many top players. I expected a battle, as it was, in the first set from 21:24 we made a few mistakes seeing them make a comeback, but then we had the ability to close and in the second the same thing happened. Then with the result in hand we completed the work in the best way. Now we will start studying Blaj, our next opponent, because playing a final is always something beautiful and important. Then we will see what the court will say,” said Novara’s coach, Lorenzo Bernardi.
The Italian side has already won the CEV Champions League Women once, in the 2018/19 season, as well as the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup Women in the 2023/24 season, while also having the CEV Volleyball Cup Women in their trophy cabinet, securing it in the 2002/2003 season.
For another European trophy, their fourth in history, Novara will have to beat Alba Blaj, the Romanian side which had already played four European finals, losing all of them. Blaj had previously won the first leg against Vasas Óbuda Budapest, 3:2, last week and now they delivered a pitch perfect performance to reach the final.
After taking the first set, 25:18, Blaj needed to mount comebacks in the second and third sets, but cheered by over 2,000 fans in their arena, the Romanian side rode the wave, as Amelie Rotar had 20 points, while Yelyzaveta Ruban added 14 points, for a 25:22 win in the second set and a 25:21 win in the third set.