Volleyball Nations League, Azzurre triumph: Brazil knocked out in final, Paola Egonu MVP

Clear victory for the Blue Women, on their first gold in VNL

The Italian women’s national volleyball team won the Volley Nations League for the first time since the tournament was renamed. In the finals played in Ankara, Turkey, the girls led by Davide Mazzanti on the bench and Paola Egonu on the court dominated Brazil, winning in three sets with partials of 25-23, 25-22, 25-22.

Paola Egonu herself was named best player (MVP) of the tournament, as well as best opposite. The progress of the match was rather linear, with the Azzurre never trailing in the first two sets, brought home with relative ease. It was a different story for the third fraction, although the Brazilians never went beyond a two-point lead, before the Italian gear change in the final.

Rounding out the women’s VNL podium was Serbia, which beat host Turkey 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 26-24) in the final for bronze.