Paola Egonu on big night, Allianz Vero Volleyball flies.
Paola Egonu on big night, Vero Volleyball flies
The European journey of Allianz Vero Volley Milan, in Pool A of the CEV Champions League 2023/2024, is off to a great start. At the Opiquad Arena in Monza, the women's first team of Consorzio Vero Volleyball overcame with a clear 3-0 (25-15; 25-16; 25-20) the Serbian team of Jedinstvo Stara Pazova. Coach Gaspari proposed in the starting sextet Prandi – Egonu as diagonal setter opposite, pair of setters composed by Sylla and Daalderop, Heyrman-Rettke as middle hitters and Castillo in the role of libero.
It's by Rettke the first point of the match for Allianz Vero Volley Milano, which definitely impacts the match well, immediately threading a 5-point break (6-1) that forces the visiting team to immediately spend the first time-out. Egonu puts in the 8-3 ace, then misses the serve but è Daalderop, soon after, to take back the match's inertia for 10-4. Injury in the Serbian ranks for No. 14 Tica, forced off the court at 13-9. Egonu è inspired tonight: two powerful dunks in a row, her trademark, send the Milanese to 17-11 and the second Serbian time-out. Sylla also shows up, soaring over the opponent’s wall on 20-13 in an almost one-sided game. Cazaute, sent out by Gaspari for the last remnants of the set, is also back on the court. Egonu, again her, leaves no escape to the Stara Pazova defense, attacking decisively the last two points for 25-15.
In the second game, the Serbs impact the match much better, even building a mini-break that allows them to stretch to 2-4. Milan did not get rattled and quickly took back the reins of a set completely in control, thanks to the excellent wall-defense coordination and the precise and powerful attack of the Egonu-Sylla pair that let Vero Volleyball fly to 15-11. The points lead stretched to six, with Daalderop and Rettke updating the tally to 21-15, before the set finally closed on 25-16.
In the third set Gaspari’s girls immediately engaged the high gears, running away immediately to secure the result with 8 points almost in quick succession. Coach Cakovic, però, does not want to leave anything to chance and calls a time-out that deconcentrates the Lombard women, who miss a few too many points seeing her opponents coming back under on 9-7. But Paola Egonu è in a day of grace, showing all her enormous talent, and allows Allianz Vero Volley Milano to regain the lead at 14-9. The set proves to be more fought than expected, with many errors by the home team keeping the opponents in the game. Milan, remains in control, but fails to take the lead as in the previous games, with the visiting team staying powerfully attached to the match and coming back at 18-17: time-out Gaspari. Rettke, excellent first half by the American to give back the two point lead 19-17. Stara Pazova error and Sylla mani-out for 22-17. Absolute debut in the CEV Champions League for the very young Piciocchi, class 2006, who had already made her debut in the A1 series during the first day of the championship.
MVP of the match Paola Egonu, absolute protagonist on the court with 19 final points, followed among the top scorers by Dutch Nika Daalderop with 12 points; in double figures also Heyrman, with 10 balls put on the ground.
