Yama is the Italian champion! The Busto team won the championship.

White, red and green: the three colours of the Italian flag gathered together, with beauty and charm. Yamamay has written its name with golden letter in the story of Italian volleyball and has completed a spectacular hat trick, after having won the Italian Cup and the CEV Cup. In the story of Futura Volley it is the first victory in a national championship, for the city of Busto it is the first time it has had a national title since the old victory of the Frogs in the American football championship in 1984. It has been the perfect victory, for the time, the way, the circumstances in which it came: in game 5, with a series of thrills, in a crowded building with more than 5,200 people, at the end of such an amazing and exciting match that we did not want to see the end of . Busto looked like ready to disintegrate Villa Cortese in the first set, it succumbed during the second after failing five set points, it returned to rule in the third and it surrendered at the very last minute in the fourth. At the end it grabbed the victory on the 16-14 of the tie break after having had a disallowed match point: this is the sum of a breathtaking final and of everything of extraordinary that volleyball can give you or take away from you.

Even taking away, yes, because the MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese goes home another time as a loser, for the third year in a row facing a defeat just a step from an historic victory: never like this year the white-blues looked like to be done, but they have really almost got the win. The girls from Abbondanza fiercely leave the court, they showed to be incredible players for their ability to react, for their grit and character, despite some technical deficits that have never been fixed.

It remains the great joy of Yamamay, of its people who knew how to support it even during the most difficult moments, of its management who built this miracle step by step, season after season. And of its city that for a night was, without any doubt, the heart of the Sport in Italy.

THE FRAME – After the polemics about the ticket sale which had characterised the whole day, the opening of the gates at 18.30 provoked an out-and-out assault by the lucky 50,00 people (and something more) who managed to obtain the desirable ticket. After a few minutes the Palayamamay was already crowded and the show is wonderful: it was even difficult to move in the Viale Garibardi building. The shout of the white-red supporters echoed everywhere and the starting banner spoke clearly: “ The voices, the hands and the hearts which beat for the Yama are the most beautiful choreography.”. The supporters of Villa answered launching confetti and a “colour explosion”. An emotional minute of silence was dedicated to Piermario Morosini, then there was only the show. To say the truth there were some “tension drops”, but they didn’t concern the court: the floodlights of the building went partially off during the first set, then they progressively turned themselves on.

THE MATCH – Both technicians chose the titular players, the same of the last two matches. The first point of the match was scored by Bauer, then three great defensive actions ( by Lloyd and Marcon) preceded the score of 3-1 by Havelkova. Three errors in a row by Pavan and Cruz left Busto on 8-3, the MC-Carnaghi was in difficulty in the attack position and even took the 13-7 score by Havlikova, forcing Abbondanza to ask for the first time out. Yamamay was really great in its defensive action, the white-blue players made a huge mistake beating the ball and the score went to 16-9. Havlickova scored a point even from an impossible corner to get the 18-10, then she also scored the ace of the 22-12: it was a one-way set thanks to the final wall by Havelkova on Lucia Bosetti. White-red players were practically perfect (no errors during the attack), this way the other team could not play.

Even in the second set  Yamamay immediately finds a way to come off: 5-2 with Havelkova Havlickova and unleashed. This time the reaction of Villa there, especially with Cruz, and Stufi reconciles the white and blue (8-7, 9-8), the comeback is complete with two walls of Lucia Bosetti and Wilson for 10-11. Bosetti still stretches on 14 -11, then  Wilson and Stufi placing the 12-16, with Busto in difficulty in receiving.

The MC-Carnaghi is follow through to 13-18 with Pavan, but Yamamay there is and recovers from just 3 points starting again from the wall of Bauer and Marcon. 

The rising of Busto is inexorably, Bauer equalized at 19 and an all out attack of Cruz holds the advantage. The protest light up for a couple of refereeing mistakes (20-20), the  point to point fight continues, Wilson misses the hit of 24-23,  Havelkova returns the favour by cancelling the set point, Havlickova and Bauer  procure two other of them that  Cruz cancels (26-26). Lucia Bosetti and Cruz cancel two more chances, then Pavan sign the 28-29 and Havlickova shot out the draw ball. Start all again.

On the wave of the enthusiasm ,Villa Cortese star well in the third set as well: Pavan attacks and then walls up Havlickova for the 2-5. But Busto doesn’t fit and with the service of Kavlickova (doubt) is back on 8-7. Lucia Bosetti wrong for the 11-8, Abbondanza stops the game but a big wall of Dall’Ora on Wilson is the 15-10. After the technical time out, Yamamay spread with Havlickova (18-11), the entry of Pincerato ends to worse the things in the house MC-Carnaghi and the usual rape Bauer signs the 21-13. Final in coach for Yamamay, that gives show in defense and then breaks with Havlickova: the last point is by Bauer for the 25-15.

There is tension and the two teams make mistakes all the possible in the beginning of the third set: as many as 10 mistakes for the 7-9. Busto finds the pairty with Dall’Ora with wall (11-11), Wilson and Pavan  try to sign a new escape on the 13-15 and Havlickova wrong the joke of the 14-16.  After the technical time out enter into Meijiners for Havelkova, but Cruz scored two attacks in a row, for the 15-18. Lucia Bosetti form the second line makes the 16-20, but Mejiners go wide and with 3  consecutive points bring back Yamamy at minus 1 point; Dall’Ora completes the work walling up Lucia Bosetti for the 20-20. In the final sprint Wilson obtains the set point for the 23-24 and then walls up two times Marcon bringing the teams to the fifth set.

The TIE BREAK – Meijners stays filed in the ranks of Yamamay. The two teams spectacle in defence, but Busto escape with a wall of Havlickova on Cruz and an ace of Meijners: 5-2. Havlickova takes on the guests 6-3 and 7-4, but the service of Perinelli win the recovery of Villa Cortese: wall of Lucia Bosetti for the parity. After the change of filed, Wilson attacks out for the 9-7, but Bosetti marks 9-9; Cruz gives to MC – Carnagh the first lead of the whole set (11-12) but then Mejiners tips over the result on 13-12 with an incredible ace. On the 13-13 enters again Havelkova, but Stufi walls up Havlickova and gives the match point to Villa Cortese. Long exchanging, Busto defences three times on Cruz and at the end passes with Havlickova: 14-14. Pavan treads the line and this time the match point is Busto, ball for Aneta who made no mistakes: Shield!