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VNL Finals: Italy crashes USA and flies to semifinals

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VNL Finals: Italy-USA 3-0

The VNL journey of women's Italvolley continues. In the first round of the Nations League finals, in fact, the girls of coach Julio Velasco imposed themselves on the USA with a score of 3-0 with the partials of 25-21; 25-21; 25-23, thus repeating the success obtained over the Olympic champions seven days ago in Fukuoka.

The Azzurri managed to hold the ball of the game from start to finish, proving more effective in all areas of the court. Best scorer for our national team è was opposite Paola Egonu, who finished with 20 points. Good contributions also came from Myriam Sylla and Sarah Fahr, who put up a combined 19 points. Not enough at home USA were the 28 points scored by the trio Skinner, Thompson and Washington.

After a long period of balance, Italy managed to place the first stretch of the first set on 15-13. From that moment, the azzurre manage to be more incisive and even reach +5 on 22-17. The USA attempted a mini reaction, but Egonu and her teammates were able to close the score on 25-21.

In the second set, Julio Velasco’s girls found themselves forced to chase at 12-14. However, thanks to flashes from Sylla and Danesi, Italy first tied at 16-16, then placed the decisive stretch to 22-17. At that point, the wide lead was managed until the 25-21 final.

The third partial è the one most fought, asè the Azure managed to fly away in the score in the middle phase touching the maximum lead of +6. With their backs against the wall, however, the Olympic champions had a knee-jerk reaction and pulled themselves back under until 23-22. Breaking the comeback dreams of the Americans, in the end, was Paola Egonu, who thanks to two excellent diagonals closed the accounts, giving the success to her national team.

In the semifinals, Italy will face the winner of the challenge between Poland and Turkey. Thanks to this success, in addition, Julio Velasco’s girls have strengthened even more their second place in the FIVB ranking, staying in the wake of first-place Brazil.

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