Italy defeated Serbia 3-1 in the last match of the preliminary phase of the Nations League of women’s volleyball, closed by the Italians with ten victories out of twelve matches played. Our national team took the field with the second lines in Fukuoka (Japan) to get the better of coach Giovanni Guidetti’s team, also without Tijana Boskovic and the big names. Italy will be back on stage next week to play the Final Eight in Bangkok (Thailand).
Coach Julio Velasco analyzed the match through federal channels: “Complicated match, because first of all Serbia played very well, they defended and attacked as a team with great continuity. Ivanovic, for example, played a great game while we were a bit awkward, perhaps due to the qualification we achieved and the victory over the USA. I didn’t want to change in times of difficulty because I wanted the girls who usually play less to come out of this situation. And I must say that they succeeded, certainly not by playing very well as we did against South Korea, but by adapting to a team that didn’t allow us to play our game.”
The Technical Commissioner continued: “They defended everything, extending many points and in certain situations we didn’t play well while in some situations the girls managed to find the right countermeasures to bring the game home. I believe that beyond the performance this was a good test, an important experience to close a week with four victories and many situations faced. The girls who play well now know that they must and can lend an important hand when difficulties arise in matches in which we will play more.”
The Guru of international volleyball then concluded: “At the Finals we still arrive in training because we have had very little time together to work in a certain way. We met with some on April 8th, then others arrived and finally the players who had played in the Champions League final joined us. We need time: without prejudice to the progress made, it is clear that with a view to Paris we will have to take a further step in team and individual growth. In this sense, playing the Finals will help us a lot because it will be a probative test that will help us grow. We hope to win them but in any case it will be an important experience.”
