Italy defeated Serbia 3-1 (25-20; 20-25; 25-23; 25-22) and thus conquered the tenth victory in the Nations League of women’s volleyball. The Italians completed the poker of successes in Fukuoka (Japan) and thus conclude the preliminary phase of the prestigious international competition with only two setbacks to their credit (against Poland and Brazil). Our national team has temporarily hoisted itself to second place in the general classificationbut will be overtaken by Poland if the red and whites do not lose 3-0 or 3-1 against China.
The girls of CT Julio Velasco are now waiting to know who the opponent will be in the quarterfinals of the Final Eight which will be staged next week in Bangkok (Thailand). It will be the seventh ranked in case of second place, otherwise it will reach the sixth place in case of third position: Anna Danesi and her teammates will therefore meet one of Japan, Turkey, China, Holland and USA, but the Turkey-Turkey matches will be decisive to outline the scoreboard. Brazil, Japan-USA and China-Poland which will be played in the next few hours between Fukuoka and Hong Kong.
Italy took to the field with all their second rows, opting for a large turnover in view of the home or away matches scheduled in a few days. The spiker stood out the most Alice Degradi (18 points, 4 blocks, 2 aces) and the opposite Ekaterina Antropova (18 points, 2 blocks), the central team also scored double figures Sara Bonifacio (10 points, 2 blocks) flanked in the department by Marina Lubian (7), 9 points (2 aces) for the hammer Gaia Giovannini under the direction of Carlotta Cambi (4).
Retired therefore Paola Egonu, Alessia Orro, Myriam Sylla, Caterina Bosetti, Anna Danesi, Sarah Fahr, while he played libero Monica De Gennaro. Serbia, who did not qualify for the Final Eight, was also on the field with the reserves: coach Giovanni Guidetti did not employ Tijana Boskovic and her companions during this event and so it was mainly Bukilic (17) and Ivanovic (15) who supported the World Champions.
THE MATCH REPORT
Italy finds the first break with a second intention shot from Cambi and a block from Antropova (5-3), but the Balkans come back with Bukilic, Ivanovic and Perovic (6-6). A double ace from Giovannini is worth a new +2 (11-9), which is then fed with a parallel from Antropova and a block from Bonifacio (15-12). Degradi breaks out with a two ace (18-13) and Antropova’s following block is imperial (19-13). We just need to administer, Degradi closes with a slash.
Serbia runs away at the start of the second set: block by Cikuc, hands-out by Ivanovic, pipe by Bukilic, error by Antropova and hands-out by Bukilic for 9-3. The Italians don’t give up and try to get back in front with shots by Degradi and Antropova (8-11), then they shorten by exploiting two opponent errors (10-11). Degradi attacks out in the pipe, Bukilic gets excited with the block and Ivanovic’s diagonal makes it 14-10. Blue black-out: Antropova makes a mistake on serve, parallel and block by Ivanovic for +6 (17-11). At that point Guidetti’s girls manage without any particular worries and the set ends with an error serving Antropova.
Third partial balanced and fought point for point in the initial phase (8-8), then Italy finds a break with Bonifacio’s first half and Bukilic’s error (10-8), A stone from Antropova and a good shot by Cambi confirm the advantage (12-10), which then widens with Bonifacio’s block (14-11). The Italians maintain the margin (19-16 and 21-18), then Degradi goes wild with a diagonal and a block for the 23-19. It seems done, Serbia sensationally manages to come back: hands-out by Tica, ace by Mijacic, error by Antropova and slash by Malesevic for the draw at 23. Degradi breaks the spell and then an out by Bujilic gives the set to the girls of Velasco.
