VNL: first success for Italvolley and Julio Velasco, Germany knocked out
Altalvolley redeems itself and finds first success in GNL
After the heavy knockout in the opener against Poland, women's Italy redeemed itself in a big way on the second day of Volleyball Nations League 2024 by beating Germany 3-1, with scores of 25-16 25-16 21-25 25-22. The main protagonists among the ranks of the Azzurri were opposite Ekaterina Antropova (24 points, 4 walls, 2 ace) and setter Caterina Bosetti ( 16 points, 2 walls).
Italy got off to a better start by creating a minimal lead right away, but Germany è skillfully sewed up the gap. They proceeded point to point until 8-8, then Antropova took the lead by placing the decisive spurt on 11-8. From that moment, the gap between the two teams widens more and more and the Azzurri take home the first partial on 25-16.
The second set follows the same script as the first. Germany manages to contain the first extension of the girls of Ct Julio Velasco, but in the central phase of the partial the Scandicci opposite and Bosetti place the decisive extension. Italy managed to manage the lead and stretch in the final, closing the score on 25-16.
In the third set, the German team manages to give the Azzurri a harder time. After a very balanced first part, it is the girls of Ct. Heynen who take a small lead, which first is well managed and then is widened, also thanks to some too many errors of the Italians, extending the match to the fourth set.
In the fourth set è again Germany started better, with Italy quickly ending up down by as many as seven points at 13-6. At that point begins an extraordinary comeback by the Azzurri, who are dragged by the effective attacks of Antropova and the excellent walls of Danesi. It comes to the final stages in perfect balance, where it is the girls of Ct Velasco to place the decisive stretch and close the games on 25-22.
The girls of CT Julio Velasco thus obtain an important success also in view of the FIVB ranking, which at the end of the preliminary phase of this competition will assign the last five passes to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Tomorrow’s match (Friday, May 17, 7 p.m.) against Bulgaria will be a must-win at all costs, to boost their ambitions with a view to qualifying for the Final Six of the Nations League and to put a further prop to’s admission to the Olympic Games.
