Paola Egonu and Milan gear up in sixth gear
Paola Egonu and Milan gear up the sixth
The positive streak continues in Serie A1 Tigotà for Numia Vero Volley Milano that, in the last championship match before the commitment in the Frecciarossa Italian Cup Finals, won 3-0 (25-19; 25-15; 25-10) the challenge against the newly promoted Cda Volley Talmassons Fvg grabbing the sixth consecutive victory. One-sided match for the Consortium’s first women’s team that è always been in full control, leaving little room for the opponents. Also tonight Milan confirmed its solidity at the wall recording 12, 5 of which were signed by Serbian Kurtagic. First MVP of the season for setter Elena Pietrini, scoring 9 points. Top scorer of the match è instead Paola Egonu with 16 balls put on the ground. The Numia girls are now awaiting a week full of commitments in Europe and Italy. It starts on Wednesday, February 5 at 6 p.m., when coach Lavarini’s lineup will take the court for the CEV Champions League round of 16 against the German SSC Palmberg Schwerin. Then, over the weekend, Orro and her teammates will leave for the Unipol Arena in Bologna where, on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m., they will take on Savino Del Bene Scandicci to clinch a spot in the Coppa Italia final.
Novità in the starting lineup for coach Lavarini’s Numia Vero Volley Milano, who will line up the diagonal Orro-Egonu, Sylla and Pietrini as setters, Heyrman and Kurtagic at center and Gelin as libero.
Opening the match for Milan è Kurtagic’s monster block, while Egonu’s wall gives the break to the hosts (3-1). First points on the scoreboard for Elena Pietrini, in her debut as a starter, which makes the score 5-3 for Numia. Talmassons tries to stay in the slipstream and at 7-7 finds parity, but è Milan, with monster blocks by Orro and Sylla, pulls ahead (11-8). The meneghine keep two lengths on the guests and with attacks by Egonu and Pietrini increase the lead (18-13). Captain Orro’s wall knocks down 20-14 forcing coach Barbieri to call the first time-out. Talmassons tries to come back (21-18) and this time è coach Lavarini to suspend the game. Kurtagic, solid at the wall, gives the first set point to Numia that with Egonu's attack closes the partial (25-19).
Milan starts strong in the beginning of the second set (3-1) but the guests chase and hook the hosts at 7-7. The balance is broken after a short time with Numia regaining the lead and moving to +5 on the Pink Panthers (13-8). Kurtagic’s third monster block makes the score 15-9 for Vero Volleyball and the Friulian bench calls his girls back to sé. The meneghine’s run continues and on 18-9 they find the maximum lead. Talmassons tries to close the gap (18-13) and coach Lavarini calls the 30''. On the return to court, Milan regains the stretch (22-13) and Egonu's ace gives the home team ten set points. The guests cancel the first but è Heyrman to end the partial (25-15).
Orro's second-touch and ace opened the third fraction, with the meneghine recording a 7-0 run that forced the host lineup to stop the game. Numia Vero Volley dominance that with another monster block finds the 14-5. Among the Milanese ranks, space also for the Konstantinidou-Smrek diagonal that immediately scores and goes to bat on +10 (17-7); the opposing bench plays the second time-out available to break the rhythm. The Canadian opposing player's entrance is confirmed effective, with two more points on the floor that bring Milan to +13. È Pietrini's attack that gives the set point to coach Lavarini's lineup, while è Kurtagic's ace to close set and match (25-10).
POST MATCH STATEMENT
Elena Pietrini, Numia Vero Volleyball Milan setter: "I was very excited about my performance. I was a little tense at the beginning, but my teammates put me at ease all week. Today we never dropped our heads, we always kept our concentration high, and the fact that we started strong in the first set made it easier for us".
Numia Vero Volley Milan – Cda Volley Talmassons Fvg 3-0 (25-19; 25-15; 25-10)
Numia Vero Volley Milan: Cazaute, Gelin (L), Guidi, Heyrman 4, Pietrini 9, Orro 8, Konstantinidou, Fukudome (L), Kurtagic 8, Smrek 4, Sylla 7, Egonu 16. N.E. Danesi, Daalderop. All. Lavarini.
Cda Volley Talmassons Fvg: Pamio 3, Feruglio, Kocic 7, Ferrara (L), Piomboni 3, Gannar 2, Eze 1, Strantzali 3, Botezat 3, Bucciarelli, Storck 5. N.E.: Gazzola (L). All. Barbieri.
NOTES
Referees: Cesare Armandola, Denis Serafin
Set duration: 26', 22', 20'. Tot: 1h17'
Spectators: 3244
Numia Vero Volley Milan: winning strokes 5, wrong strokes 12, walls 12, errors 17, attack 49%
Cda Volley Talmassons Fvg: winning strokes 0, wrong strokes 11, walls 5, errors 19, attack 26%
MVP: Elena Pietrini (Numia Vero Volley Milan)
Facility: Opiquad Arena – Monza
