LJUBLJANA (SLOVENIA)- Slovenia confirmed itself at the top of the Volleyball Nations League rankings by beating Italy 3-0 (19-25, 21-25, 19-25), the second defeat in week 3 for the Azzurri. In a Stožice Arena packed in every seat, the hosts led by Cretu got the better of Sbertoli and his teammates, trying to impose their game, managing the lead in each of the three sets.
Standing out are the 21 personal points of Tomcec Stern, opposite Slovenian, best scorer of the match, with Bottolo in evidence as author of 12 points in a match which saw the Azzurri making mistakes from nine meters 19 times.
Tomorrow will be decisive in knowing the last two qualifiers for the Final Eight in Lodz and the Quarter Final pairings scheduled for 27 and 28 June in Poland.
The Azzurri will be on the pitch tomorrow at 4.30pm to close out the VNL Preliminary Phase with Turkey in the best possible way, and then get to know their opponent in the Quarter Finals. The race will be broadcast on the DAZN and VBTV platforms.
New features among the Azzurri compared to the first two matches, Bottolo and Caneschi on the field from the start together with Luca Porro and Leandro Mosca, diagonal formed by Sbertoli and Bovolenta, libero Laurenzano. Slovenia ahead, two winning attacks from Stern make it 3-1. The equalizer comes with a lob from Bottolo 3-3. Slovenia immediately took the lead, Stern again but from nine meters, 5-3. The Moscow wall equalizes the score at 7-7, with the first half at 8-8. Stern scores the 11-9 point with a block, a good performance from the Slovenian opposite in the first part of the set. After Laurenzano’s excellent defense, Bottolo’s attack error, Slovenia ahead 14-12, extends to 17-13. Cebulj maintains the advantage of four points 20-16, Stern’s ace extends it to 21-16, the same Slovenian opposite scores 23-18, Slovenia winning the first set with a score of 25-19.
Having confirmed the 6+1 of the first set for the Azzurri, the first point of the second set is put by Stern. Štalekar’s first half puts Slovenia ahead 5-2. Some errors on both sides at the start of the set with Slovenia leading 7-4 with De Giorgi sending Gironi to the field for Bovolenta, Moscow’s block shortens the gap 7-6. Azzurri good at defending and rebuilding, Bottolo closes point number 10 for Italy, one point behind Slovenia. Kozamernik raises the wall, he takes the point for 14-12 over Moscow. Sanguinetti’s block, taking over from Caneschi, equalized the score 16-16. Slovenia regains the lead immediately, taking the lead to 18-16, Stern’s block out makes it 21-18. Falaschi on the field for Sbertoli. Porro tries to keep the set going, his lob brings Italy within two points of Slovenia 23-21, Stern wins the first ball of the set at 24-21, the set immediately closed at 25-21.
In the third set Bovolenta returns to the field, Sanguinetti is in the center with Mosca, a set that begins with Urnaut’s ace for the 1-0. Cebulj’s block on Porro brings Slovenia to 3-1, Stern again, the best among the Slovenians today, scores for 6-3. Italy tries to equalize the score, Stern’s block out brings Slovenia to 8-6. Slovenia increases its lead to 12-8. Recine is on the pitch for Porro, Gaggini is also on for Laurenzano, and is on for the defense, making his debut on the pitch for the blue team. Gironi and Falaschi are also back on the field for Bovolenta and Sbertoli, Slovenia ahead 17-14. Štalekar’s ace brings Slovenia up 6, 20-14. Ropret’s ace brings Slovenia closer to winning the set 22-17, a set that ended at 25-18 and the second defeat of week 3 for Italy.
The words of Gabriele Laurenzano –
« Seeing the stadium so full here in Ljubljana, Slovenia, against the home team was wonderful, there was very warm support. We knew that today would be an important match for us in terms of the standings, also in terms of our team, for the experience, for what we are doing. It went badly, we made a lot of errors in serving in the third set, we really lost mentally and we lost.
Let’s not get discouraged, let’s try to immediately forget today’s match and think about tomorrow’s match, which will be another important match.”
The words of Marco Gaggini –
« Today was exciting, both for the debut and for such an important match in such a warm, beautiful arena. It is truly a unique emotion, it seemed like nothing else. Today was a difficult match, we knew that they are an important team, we had to fight for every point, for every ball, leaving aside what had happened before, we knew that they would push to break away. We were there point for point at the start, then we risked a few times by taking a couple of breaks and they did well to stay ahead. For me today there were so many emotions, the first time on the pitch, immediately at the first call-up, it’s beautiful. There are no words.
Tomorrow is definitely an important match, different from this one, not simpler, a complicated match in the same way, we will enter the field to give everything, knowing that it is an important match for our ranking.”
The Scoreboard-
ITALY – SLOVENIA 0-3 (19-25, 21-25, 19-25)
ITALY: Sbertoli 0, Bottolo 12, Bovolenta 0, Caneschi 2, Mosca 6, Porro l. 8, Laurenzano (L), Recine 1, Falaschi 0, Sanguinetti 4, Groups 4, Gaggini (L), Cortesia, Gardini, All. De Giorgi.
SLOVENIA: T. Štern 21, Kozamernik 7, Štalekar 5, Ropret 1, Urnaut 6, ?ebulj 9, Kova?i? (L), Bracko 0, Planinši?, Toman (L), Z. Štern, Moži?, Mujanovi?, Krži?, All. Cretu.
REFEREES: Simonovic Vladimir (SUI), Cespedes Lassi Denny Francisco (DOM)
Set duration: 22′, 27′, 27′. Total: 75′
Italy: 1st, 19th, 4th, 26th.
Slovenia: 8 y, 15 s, 7 mv, 22 et.
ALL RACES OF WEEK 3 BETWEEN LJUBLJANA AND MANILA-
Pool 5 (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Bulgaria – Türkiye 3-1 (27-25, 25-20, 12-25, 25-22)
Slovenia – Argentina 3-0 (25-23, 25-2, 29-27)
Cuba – Serbia 2-3 (25-22, 25-21, 16-25, 21-25, 12-15)
Italy – Poland 0-3 (22-25, 21-25, 22-25)
Türkiye – Argentina 0-3 (17-25, 18-25, 20-25)
Italy – Bulgaria 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-21)
Cuba – Slovenia 2-3 (22-25, 25-20, 21-25, 31-29, 8-15)
Argentina – Poland 0-3 (19-25, 18-25, 22-25)
Bulgaria – Cuba 0-3 (18-25, 20-25, 18-25)
Türkiye 1-3 Serbia (25-20, 19-25, 23-25, 21-25)
Bulgaria – Argentina 0-3 (22-25, 17-25, 20-25)
Serbia – Poland 2-3 (21-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, 11-15)
Italy – Slovenia 3-0 (19-25, 21-25, 19-25)
23.06 13.00 Cuba – Poland
23.06 16.30 Türkiye – Italy
23.06 at 20.30 Serbia – Slovenia
Pool 6 (Manila, Philippines)
Netherlands – Brazil 1-3 (26-24, 23-25, 29-31, 20-25)
Canada 3-2 Japan (25-21, 20-25, 25-15, 20-25, 15-10)
Germany 3-1 France (25-23, 25-27, 25-20, 25-23)
Iran – USA 3-2 (26-28, 25-23, 25-18, 26-28, 15-13)
Germany – Canada 0-3 (19-25, 18-25, 21-25)
Iran – Netherlands 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-10)
Brazil – USA 2-3 (21-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-22, 9-15)
Iran – France 0-3 (21-25, 17-25, 20-25)
Canada – Brazil 3-0 (26-24, 25-19, 26-24)
Netherlands – Japan 0-3 (18-25, 19-25, 20-25)
Germany – USA 1-3 (23-25, 25-21, 24-26, 23-25)
Canada – Netherlands 3-2 (21-25, 25-22, 28-26, 14-25, 15-9)
France – Japan 2-3 (25-17, 25-19, 16-25, 23-25, 10-15)
23.06 05.00 Germany – Iran
23.06 09.00 France – Brazil
23.06 13.00 Japan – USA
