Bitterness for Paola Egonu and teammates, Antropova’s Scandicci wins outright
Top scorer at the Pala BigMat is Paola Egonu, 21 points for her: she won the long-distance challenge with her wardmate in the national team, Antropova (18 points). But it is a meager consolation because volleyball is a team sport: nothing to do for Numia Vero Volley Milano, which succumbed to Savino Del Bene Scandicci with a 3-0 (25-23; 25-22; 25-23) partial victory in the big-match valid for the thirteenth day of the Regular Season. It was an evening in which the girls in biancofucsia jerseys never managed to get into the match, making too many mistakes and failing to maintain lucidity in the decisive moments of the match. It was an underwhelming performance for Numia, which shined only at certain junctures: having started with the right charge, Milan was unable to counter the reaction of Savino Del Bene, which from the middle of the first fraction rose to the top, leaving no room for Lavarini’s girls.
The Numia Vero Volleyball started off strong and promptly went up to 1-5; attacks and Antropova’s service turn shortened the distance, with the Tuscans finding -1 (6-7). Good work on defense and offense allows the meneghine to regain control of the set (7-11), but Savino responds and –accomplice to errors by the host lineup –brings the partial back into balance (13-13). Milan suffers the good momentum of its opponents but, thanks to Kurtagic’s monster block and Egonu’s attack, pulls ahead (15-18). Once again Scandicci brings everything back to even, and Weitzel’s two aces make it 21-19, which is worth the advantage for the hosts at the crucial moment of the set. With her opposite team’s attack, Savino Del Bene conquers two set balls and on the second chance closes 25-23.
The second partial starts point-to-point with Scandicci winning the first break at 4-2. Numia struggles to find the rhythm, forced to chase Coach Gaspari’s lineup (11-8). Egonu and her teammates are unable to stop the run of the hosts, who are still ahead by three lengths at the half (15-12). Vero Volleyball does not put it in gear and, down in the score 19-16, is called back to the bench by Coach Lavarini. On the return from time-out Pietrini’s ace keeps her team alive (-1 and 19-18), which keeps in touch, but it is Savino Del Bene that finds the break that is worth 23-20. Antropova’s mani-out also gives hers the second partial with a score of 25-22.
The third fraction is all uphill for Milan, down 2-0 in the six-set tally and 3-0 in the score. Antropova and Skinner lead the Tuscans who keep the gap tight (7-3), but there comes the reaction of coach Lavarini’s girls who –with Kurtagic’s attacks and walls – find the ’hooking on 8-8. Back-and-forth in the remainder of the fraction but Ognjenovic’s ace gives her team a +3 (15-12). Sartori comes in for Danesi with the number 10 player from Milan who immediately scores; Kurtagic’s mural is the equalizer (17-17) and gives confidence to her team, which on 18-19 finds the first lead of the set. Heart-stopping final, interrupted by the’break requested by the Milanese bench on the score of 23-22 in favor of Savino. Nothing can Numia, which surrenders the partial to its opponents (25-23) who win the match 3-0.
