Paola Egonu drags Vero Volley Milan to Italian Cup Final Four
Allianz Vero Volleyball Milan – Aeroitalia Smi Rome 3-0 (25-16; 25-5; 25-15)
Allianz Vero Volley Milan dominates Aeroitalia Smi Roma and earns access to the Final Four of the Italian Frecciarossa Cup. It was a clear-cut victory for the Consortium’s Pink lineup, which, in just under an hour and a quarter, won the pass to the finals in Trieste thanks to a 3-0 (25-16; 25-5; 25-15) victory over the Capitoline women.
It was a match without history for the Milanese, who immediately took the lead in the first set, consolidating the result in a one-sided second game, before finally closing the match in the third partial. Allianz Vero Volley Milano will now face Savino Del Bene Scandicci in the semifinals of the tournament: for the Lombard women this is the fifth pass in their history to the Final Four of the national cup (Bologna 2018 and 2023, Busto Arsizio 2020 and Rimini 2021), set for the weekend of February 17-18.
Compared to the lineup that took the field in the championship against Chieri, there'è some changes for coach Gaspari with Orro and Egonu as diagonal opposite setter, pair of setters composed of Sylla and Bajema, Heyrman-Folie as middle hitters and Castillo libero.
The meneghine’s first point is scored by Egonu, in a match that in the first phase sees great balance with neither team managing to take a lead (4-4). It's Allianz Vero Volley Milano, however, that signs the first break thanks to Bajema's tight diagonal and Egonu's ace, which leads coach Cuccarini to call for technical suspension at 7-4. Milan takes full advantage of Egonu’s service turn – who also finds her second personal ace of the set -, taking the lead to +6 (10-4). Vero Volley continues to push hard, touching the nine-length lead (13-4). Heyrman’s first half and Sylla’s big monster block (16-9), bring Vero Volley increasingly ahead in the score. Milan lit up the Allianz Cloud with the quality of its choral game, running away and reaching the double-digit gap (20-10). The set è well headed on the right tracks, despite the guest team’s comeback attempt (23-16) that led Gaspari to spend a time-out. Vero Volleyball, immediately after the technical suspension, steadily steadied the ship and won the set 25-16.
It's Folie who signs the first point of the set, followed closely by Orro's ace and Sylla's splendid tight diagonal (3-0). Second ace for Orro and time-out called by the Rome bench, down 4-0. Orro finds the third ace, Sylla dunks decisively and the Milanese take the lead (6-0). The partial develops along the lines of the previous one, with the hosts relying on an attack as solid as ever, led by the verve of captain Orro (12-3). Allianz Vero Volley Milano grafts the very high gears, leaving no room for reply to the opponents who are unable to overcome the great wall-defense correlation of the meneghine, who fly on 17-3 after the two monster blocks of Orro and Heyrman and Egonu’s double ace, leading Cuccarini to ask for the second time-out. The Venetian opposing player è surgical on the serve, Rome is unable to oppose in a one-sided set, which ends with the Capitoline’s ball out for the 25-5 final.
Egonu’s wall ushers in a third game that, at least in the opening bars, è more è balanced, with the Romans trying to keep in the meneghine’s wake (5-4). Bajema scores +2 (6-4), but Aeroitala immediately responds with Melli. Milan rips again thanks to attacks by Sylla and Egonu, taking the lead to +5 (12-7). Pusic enters the court for an extraordinary Castillo, but the score does not change with Bajema and Egonu incisive in the offensive phase, especially with the Milanese opposing player relentless with her diagonal: 16-9 and time-out Cuccarini. Nice first half by Folie coming out of the technical suspension, as the match moves towards its conclusion (20-12). There is no room for reply, in fact, for the Capitoline girls who are unable to keep the crazy Milanese rhythm, finally giving way after Sylla's winning attack of 25-15.
MVP of the match Alessia Orro author of an important game in attack, with 9 points scored, but also of a skilful and incisive direction. Top scorer of the match Paola Egonu with 21 balls put on the ground, followed by Sylla with 11.
The next appointment for Allianz Vero Volley Milan will be once again within the friendly walls of the Allianz Cloud, Sunday, January 28 at 5 p.m. against the Volley Bergamo 1991.
