Volleyball

Gray leads Cook, Plummer, Conegliano to Italian League title; Nuneviller, Lee, Rivers get big wins

May 16, 2023

Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano celebrates winning the Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile title

This is the last of our weekly reports for the 2022-23 pro women’s volleyball season. For all the reports and other features about USA women playing pro, click on this link: https://volleyballmag.com/category/pro/

Canadian Alexa Gray, who was a 2015 Volleyball magazine second-team All-American for BYU, could probably get elected as mayor Conegliano, Italy.

That’s because on Monday the 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Calgary came into the fifth match of the best-of-five Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile series and put on an offensive show.

Gray had 22 kills, hit .626, and was named MVP after Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano defeated Vero Volley Milano 23-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-21.

It was the fifth Italian league title in a row for Conegliano.

“I don’t remember much, I’m completely blacked out!” Gray said. “I’m so proud of the team and happy to have helped through a difficult time.”

In the second set, Conegliano trailed 18-12, was still down 20-17 and then rallied from a 23-21 deficit behind Gray, who also finished with two blocks and an ace. She came into the match for Stanford’s Kathryn Plummer, who had four kills and a block.

Swede Isabelle Haak led Conegliano with 24 kills and a block. The other American on the winning team, Olympian and Nebraska product Kelsey Robinson Cook, had seven kills, four blocks and an ace.

Milano got a spectacular performance from injured opposite Jordan Thompson, the former Cincinnati star who, despite a heavily wrapped leg, had 31 kills and an ace. American teammate and fellow USA Olympian Jordan Larson of Nebraska had nine kills. Former Wisconsin star Dana Rettke had a kill and a block in a brief appearance in set three. Milano lost in the final for the second straight year.

This was an exciting, close series throughout. Conegliano won the first match 23-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19, 25-11, which was in our report last week.

In the second match, Milano won 25-22, 25-23, 25-18 as Thompson had 17 kills and two aces. Larson had eight kills and an ace. Robinson Cook had three kills and an ace, while Plummer was limited to one kill.

Conegliano’s Kathryyn Plummer attacks against Milano’s Jordan Thompson/Filippo Rubin, LVF photo

Milano took a 2-1 series lead with a 25-21, 14-25, 20-25, 27-25, 15-13 victory. Thompson continued to lead, this time with 24 kills, three blocks and an ace. Larson added seven kills and two aces, including a key one near the end of set four. Plummer led Conegliano with 25 kills and three blocks. Robinson Cook finished with 11 kills and an ace. Haak had 20 kills, three blocks and an ace.

Conegliano bounced back in a big way with a 26-24, 25-20, 25-17 sweep to set up a winner-take-all fifth match. Plummer had 11 kills and Robinson Cook six. Thompson left in the middle of the second set. She and Larson had six kills each.

“Thanks to Gray for being ready,” Conegliano coach Daniele Santarelli said. “She played an incredible game and helped us in a moment of great difficulty. I never expected such a high-level performance. We won a crazy final series.

“I congratulate Milan. They did what they could, making the best use of every opportunity. We didn’t play to our full potential, but in the end what matters is bringing home the trophy and we’ve done it four times this year. I’m really happy, especially for these fantastic fans. Competing at these sports halls, both here and in Monza, created incredible emotions that give dreams to all the fans, especially the little ones.”

Jordan Thompson is consoled by her Milano teammates/Vero Volley Twitter

Turkey

VakifBank earned third place in the Turkish league by beating THY 25-20, 25-27, 25-11, 25-19. Chiaka Ogbogu had five kills (1.000) and two kills in a two-set appearance. Kara Bajema added seven kills, a block and an ace while playing three sets. Madi Kingdon Rishel had six kills in three sets for THY, which finished fourth for the second straight season.

Nilufer gained the upper hand in the series for fifth place by defeating Galatasaray 25-20, 25-13, 23-25, 25-19. Brooke Nuneviller was the top scorer for Nilufer with 16 kills and two aces. Sherridan Atkinson added 12 kills and a block. Logan Eggleston was Galatasaray’s second-top scorer with 12 kills.

Nilufer then beat Galatasaray 25-22, 25-17, 21-25, 25-23 to win the series. Atkinson led Nilufer with 18 kills and three blocks. Nuneviller finished with 12 kills as Nilufer earned its best finish in 10 years. Eggleston led all scorers with 17 kills (.500), four blocks, and an ace for Galatasaray.

Germany

Stuttgart won its second German league title in a row by beating Potsdam 20-25, 25-12, 25-19, 27-25. Simone Lee was the top scorer with 21 kills, two blocks and an ace. Krystal Rivers added 17 kills and two blocks.