VNL, Paola Egonu does not take the field but Italy also beats Serbia

VNL, Paola Egonu does not take the field but Italy also beats Serbia

Italy wins its fourth match out of four in Fukuoka. After Canada, South Korea and the United States, the Azzurri close out Pool 6 of the Volleyball Nations League by beating Serbia 3-1 and setting up their fourth consecutive victory. 25-20 20-25 25-23 25-22 were the set scores in favor of the Azzurri.

Paola Egonu, Myriam Sylla, Alessia Orro and Caterina Bosetti did not play, so room for others, including Ekaterina Antropova and Alice Degradi, who scored 18 and 17 points respectively, while in the ranks of Serbia 16 points for Vanja Bukilic. Below are statements from Italian coach Julio Velasco taken from federvolley.it.

“Complicated match becauseé first of all Serbia played very well, they defended and attacked in the band with great continuity. Ivanovic for example played a great game while we were a bit’ clumsy, maybe because of the qualification achieved and the victory over the USA”.

“I did not want to change in the moment of difficultyà becauseé I wanted the girls who usually play less to come out of this situation. And I must say that they succeeded, certainly not by playing great as we had done with South Korea, but by adapting to a team that did not allow us to play our game. They defended on everything prolonging many points and in certain situations we did not play well while at some junctures the girls managed to find the right countermeasures bringing home the game”.

I think beyond the performance this was a good test, an important experience to close a week with four wins and many situations faced. The girls playing well now know that they must and can lend an important hand when the difficulties come; in games where we will play harder.

“To the Finals we still come in formation becauseé of time together to work in a certain way we have had very little. With some we saw each other on April 8, then others came and finally the players who had played in the Champions Finals joined. We need time while maintaining the progress made but è it is clear that in view of Paris we will have to make a further step of team and individual growth. In that sense playing the finals will help us so much because it will be a test that will make us grow. We hope to win them but in any case it will be an’important” experience.