Women’s volleyball, everything on the third day

The third day of A1 women ends with Milan’s victory over Scandicci. The next day is October 28th and 29th. The Super Cup between Conegliano and Milan will also be played on Saturday

Milan-Scandicci 3-2 (27-25, 25-18, 25-27, 22-25, 16-14)

—

Milan wins a crazy match, beating Scandicci 3-2. MVP is Dana Rettke, excellent with 13 points in 18 attacks, but for 4 sets Egonu dominates (33 points) over everything and everyone, and Allianz trembles when, in the tiebreak, they have to stop at 7-9 (it doesn’t seem like a worrying). Instead Gaspari’s team regroups and takes advantage of its depth. For Scandicci a good start until the blackout at the end of the first set, from which he only recovered at the end of the third, extending the match and gaining a point in the standings. Nwakalor is excellent (18 points with 6 blocks), while Antropova (19) has a good start, a good finish, but also breaks and errors, no less than Zhu. Gaspari, still without Castillo (also out in the Super Cup due to commitments with the national team) starts with Orro-Egonu diagonally, Cazaute-Sylla spikers, Candi-Rettke in the center, Parrocchiale libero. Barbolini responds with Ognjenovic as director opposite Antropova, Herbots and Zhu in the line-up, Nwakalor and Carol in the center with Merlo free. Balanced start in the name of Egonu and Antropova. At 12-10 the first breakthrough comes from Nwakalor, with 3 consecutive points (2 blocks and an attack, he will end with 3 blocks). Scandicci is tidy in the wall-defense, Milan is not very effective from 9 meters and when the Tuscans fly 20-24 (with Daalderop called onto the field for an imprecise Cazaute), it seems made for Savino Del Bene. Three errors in a row (2 by Antropova), however, kick off Milan’s comeback, and Carol’s invasion ends with an incredible 27-25 for the 1-0, with Egonu at 10 and Antropova and an excellent Nwakalor at 6 (7/7 for the two central defenders in attack). Scandicci seems to feel the pinch, while Milano, fouled from 9 meters, is still fluid in attack, extending 12-8. Antropova’s turn to shorten the score to 12-11, then Barbolini changes the diagonal, but Diop messes up and Milan still leads 17-13, because Candi and especially Rettke also make themselves felt in the centre. But the queen is always Egonu, who with 4 attacks in the last 7 home points allows them to close 25-18 and bring her teammates to 2-0. Scandicci is down, and Milano immediately escapes in the third (12-8) with Rettke as the protagonist. At 15-9 Barbolini brings in Diop and Villani for Antropova (in sharp decline from the first set) and Zhu (out of the match), but the substitutions do not change the inertia. At 21-16 it seems done, but 3 consecutive points from Nwakalor open the comeback of the Tuscans who draw at 23 and win with the advantage 25-27, with Zhu and Antropova protagonists (returned) and Egonu who despite the 10 points is stopped in the final from the opposing defense. Scandicci takes advantage of the inertia and escapes 1-5 with Carol. After the confidence, Scandicci definitively finds Antropova and Zhu (5 and 6 respectively in the half), Gaspari tries Bajema who has a good entry into the match but not enough to equalize. At 17-23, with Malual on the pitch to rest Egonu, Milan shortens (21-23), but the comeback stops there before 22-25. Even crazier tiebreak, with Scandicci ahead at the changeover (8-6). At 7-9, Egonu comes out due to a physical problem, Gaspari redesigns the team by rotating Cazaute, Bajema and Daalderop. At 12 all the home coach interrupts the game for a suspected invasion, but the images confirm the referee’s decision. Two attacks from Rettke and a double from Scandicci prolong the match which ends with Antropova’s error which makes it 16-14 and gives the victory to Allianz. (Rodolfo Palermo)

Florence-Bergamo 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-22)

—

Third match in a row at Palazzo Wanny for Bisonte Firenze after the derby against Scandicci and the challenge against Pinerolo and the first victory also arrived for Parisi’s team. Bergamo fights, but in the first set they lose at the best moment, while in the third they go ahead but regain a five-point lead. The first half is characterized by many service errors, six for Il Bisonte, five for Bergamo and by a great balance. The Florentines at 23-23, first benefit from a great block from Graziani and then an error from Lorrayna who doesn’t find the touch of Ishikawa’s hands as certified by the video check. The waste of the first set is felt in Bergamo’s half of the pitch. The Bisonte immediately extends their lead to reach a score of 13-4, thanks above all to Ishikawa (another good performance from the Japanese team) and to the many opponent errors. Sulforati revolutionizes his formation, putting Pasquino, Fitzmorris, Nervini and Pistolesi and his team has a good reaction. Disadvantage reabsorbed, but only partially. Graziani put an end to the second set with a winning first half (25-22). In the third the guests started better with a wild Nervini on the shields and with Lorrayna finding the right measures. But at plus five (15-10), the Orobic team stops and allows itself to be overtaken by the Bisontine team. Graziani is still present both on the block and in attack, Ishikawa doesn’t miss a beat. Daviskyba, on the other hand, does, because it is the Belarusian who puts out the ball which decrees Florence’s success and the joy of all of Palazzo Wanny. (Stefano Del Corona)

Roma-Busto Arsizio 3-2 (25-20, 25-21, 20-25, 23-25, 15-13)

—

Rome returns to win after the defeat suffered last week against Chieri and does so for the first time in the new stadium in Piazza Apollodoro. The one paying the price is Busto Arsizio, coached by Julio Velasco, who is still without a goal after the defeats suffered against Milan and Scandicci. The match starts with a substantial balance, then Roma tries to escape, but the visiting team is always there, ready to recover. Balances that were broken with a nice move by the Giallorossi (20-13), thanks to an excellent performance in attack by Bici (7 points) and Plak (5). The Lombards didn’t give up and came back with 3 consecutive points, closing the gap (20-17). The Wolves, moved by the time-out called by Cuccarini, and also helped by the many errors of the red and whites (6), start again maintaining the gap that allows them to win the set (25-20). In the second half the Romans started very strong (13-9). Busto tries to regain control of the match and forcefully comes back behind (16-15) thanks to the Roman team’s errors (7), so much so that Cuccarini is forced to call a time-out. The Capitolines escape again (20-16), but the Velasco girls are good at not giving up and regain the draw (21-21). The she-wolves do not lose their heads and continue to extend their lead, reaching the set point with a hands-out from Celeste Plak (25-21). In the third set the guests immediately took the lead (5-8), with captain Bechis’s girls struggling on the attacks of Lualdi and Sartori (11-15), also committing many errors (9). Roma recovers (16-17), but Busto wins the set with a winning block from Sartori (20-25). The Lombards once again started the best (7-11) in the fourth set, but the Giallorossi bit and regained the result (12-13) thanks to 3 points from Bici, an ace from Rucli and a slingshot from Plak. Velasco is forced to call a time-out, but the Giallorossi strike again, taking the lead (14-13). The result is an exciting head-to-head between the two sextets, who travel paired point to point (23-23) until in the end Busto comes out on top (23-25). At the tie-break, Cuccarini’s team takes over the match. After reaching 8-6, Roma closed 15-13. Next day the Romans will face Florence away (1 November at 4pm), while Busto Arsizio will play in Pinerolo (postponement at 8.30pm). (Simone Corbetta)