Paola Egonu 20, Milan tops Dentil Praia Clube and closes on podium at World Club Championships
Milan closes on the podium at the Club World Cup
Numia Vero Volleyball Milan closes its first participation in the Club World Cup with a prestigious third place, winning the event’s bronze medal. Putting the word “end” to the participation of coach Lavarini’s girls in the competition è was the “finalina” against the Brazilians of Dentil Praia Clube, closed with a clear 3-0.
In the first set, the Brazilians started better, going up as high as 3-8 before Milan’s reaction to bring the score back to even at 8. Numia moved to 17-14, to, then, hold their lead until 25-23. The second fraction, on the other hand, opened in full control by Vero Volley (5-2, 9-3), with only one lapse for Milan (13-12), which closed in progression: 20-14 and 25-16. The third partial è a monologue for Lavarini’s team, which in 19 minutes goes to close the practice: 4-0, 12-3, 20-9 and 25-13.
Danesi knocks down two of the first three points of the challenge for Milan (3-3), with the match going point-to-point until the first, heavy break by the Brazilians: 3-8, when the Vero Volleyball bench time-out comes. Egonu’s ace and first point serve for the 5-8, Fukudome’s defense and Daalderop’s wall are then worth the 7-8 that forces coach Miranda to call time-out in turn. It’s back to even; (8-8), before a new double advantage for Praia (9-11). Ace by Orro and the challenge è again tied, 12-12, then, Numia goes ahead with Egonu and Kurtagic’s wall: 17-14. An exchange of almost 30 seconds leads to 18-17, which becomes 20-18 with Cazaute on court. Egonu goes long again with the ’attack and è 20-20. Another Orro ace comes: 23-21, and new time-out for the Brazilians. On 24-22 there’è the first set-point for Milano: Adenizia cancels it. The second, however, Egonu closes it and è 25-23.
In the opening of the second fraction Numia finds its first break with Cazaute: 5-2. Three consecutive walls (two by Kurtagic and one by Cazaute) push Milan up to +6 (9-3) and force the South American bench to a first time-out. Another wall by Kurtagic and è +7: 10-3. Praia reacts (11-7) and Lavarini stops the game for 30 seconds. A wall on Egonu brings the Brazilians back to -1 (13-12), but, then, the same Vero Volleyball opposite player re-establishes the distance with a wall and an attack: 16-12. On 19-13, Praia spends its second time-out. Milano è the first to go over 20 (20-14), while the first set-point comes shortly after: 24-16, with a monster block by Kurtagic, among the protagonists of the fraction (for her in the set are 6 personal points and 4 walls). It’ an ace by Cazaute to set the 25-16 that closes the partial.
In the third set Vero Volley immediately placed an important break (4-0) thanks to the strength of its collective, led also by the continuity of Sylla, and coach Miranda can only stop the game. The trend, however, does not change and Milan quickly rises to +9 on 12-3. Praia Clube è in trouble and Danesi’s wall makes it 17-6, before the second time-out to which the Brazilian bench is forced. Danesi changes hands in attack, and with a soft left-handed lob brings Numia over 20 (at 9). The last balls of the partial serve to certify the unstoppable inertia of the fraction until they reach the first ball to close the match on 24-11. The South Americans nullify it, a solo attack close to the line by Egonu leads to 24-13, but on the next shot è again Egonu from place 2 to close by force: è 25-13, Numia Vero Volley Milano canò celebrate the third place at the World Club Championship.
Egonu, top-scorer of the match, closes with 20 points, followed by Kurtagic with 11 and Danesi at 10, for Praia no player goes in double figures with at most Caffrey’s 9 points.
"We came to this event with the ambition to try to win, because here you come, logically, with that ambition. We had a difficulty in the round with Tianjin and the defeat led us to play the semifinal against Conegliano, which again showed great quality. We managed, however, to finish our competition on a crescendo with this final for bronze, and this è a positive fact. Today we è saw a really well controlled competition, the morale on the court was high and the girls definitely wanted to finish the event positively: we bring home a lot of positives even if we are still sorry for the performance that decided the placement in our round and showed us that we still have to work to do everything with a consistent quality. However, we take what we have earned" these are the words released by Vero Volley coach Stefano Lavarini at the end of the match.
