Paris is already in the safe, qualification for the Finals in Bangkok as well, but Italy leaves nothing to their opponents and also beats the US national team with Kiraly’s team now risking sensational elimination from the final act of this VNL. A victory that arrived with scores of 25-17, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21 and which keeps Danesi and her teammates close to the first two places in the rankings world championship that would guarantee an Olympic draw as a top seed. This group stage ends on Sunday 16 June against Serbia.
The story of the match
For this third match in the Fukuoka stage, Velasco returns with the starting setter-opposite diagonal composed of Orro and Egonu, Danes And Fahr in the center, Sylla And Degradations in band, De Gennaro he is the free. He leaves outside Antropovastarter against South Korea, as well as Bosettilisted as second libero.
The start of the Italian team is very positive, especially on the block with Fahr and Degradi who contribute to the +4 at 7-3 first and then at 9-5. The girls coached by Kiraly, however, react and don’t let Italy escape, moving to -1 at 13-12 thanks to the attacks of Larson, Thompson and Robinson-Cook, but it is precisely the mistake of the former Conegliano player that sends the Italians back to + 3 at 19-16. From there Paola Egonu takes over and makes no mistakes and leads her teammates to a 25-17 lead with which the first set ends.
In the second set, the USA started better, going 4-8 with Thompson’s ace and the Robinson-Cook attack. The Americans have an advantage which reaches +6 at 8-14. Velasco tries to change the gang with Giovannini in place of a Degradi who is struggling in reception but the Olympic champions lead (11-18) and then close at 19-25 with Skinner’s attack.
In the third set Italy picked up the pace again at the start but the USA kept pace with the shots of Ogbogu and Thompson. The first break arrives with a score of 8-7 for the Italians who, with a block from Danesi and two attacks from Egonu, take the lead to 11-7. Then it is the blocks of Sylla and Egonu herself that make Italy fly to +6 at 14-8 and it is an advantage that the Italians even increase with the two consecutive points from Antropova (21-14), before closing the set at 25-15 thanks to Sylla’s diagonal.
The fourth set begins with a US break (0-3) which comes with two attacks by Drews and an error by Danesi, but it is Sylla’s turn to serve to sign the counter-break which puts the Italians ahead 6-4. It’s a partial that destabilizes Kiraly’s girls who also suffer from Danesi’s jump-flot (9-5). Also in this case, Italy is good at controlling the advantage despite the opponent’s comeback attempt (20-17). Fahr closes in the first half at 25-21. Paola Egonu has 24 points.
