Paola Egonu knows where to improve ahead of World Cup round of 16

“This team is fantastic and I am super proud: all the work we do shows, on the court.” Paola Egonu’s words perfectly capture the spirit of Italy, which closed the group stage of the World Cup by beating Belgium 3-1 and going into the round of 16 undefeated.

Once again, the Italian opposite player was the absolute protagonist: 28 total points, with 1 ace and 4 winning walls, confirming herself as the top scorer of the match. A performance of great substance, especially in the first two sets, in which she scored 17 points with very high attack percentages (60% in the first partial, 58% in the second).

Even so, despite the outstanding numbers, Egonu herself is not satisfied. “I had a bit of a drop at one stage,” she admitted honestly to RaiSport microphones. A reference to the third set, lost 21-25, in which Italy suffered the best Belgian defense and its attack efficiency dropped below 40 percent.

Margins for improvement go right through there:

accomplishing continuity: avoiding the “holes” in performance that allow opponents to get back into the game;

management of enthusiasm: “We are too gassed, we do everything, even mistakes,” Egonu said. Finding the right emotional balance will be crucial in the knockout matches;

attack percentages: high peaks alternating with down moments need to be stabilized to ensure consistency throughout the match.