Milan struggles but wins in tie-break in Pesaro with Vallefoglia

The positive streak of Numia Vero Volley Milano continued, as it expelled Pesaro in the 11th day of the return match of Serie A1 Tigotà. In front of a sold-out Pala Megabox, Orro and her teammates scored their second consecutive victory, overcoming Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia 2-3 (21-25; 25-23; 14-25; 25-12; 12-15). It was a match that saw the Milanese express a good level of play at times, despite an excellent Vallefoglia throughout the match, which ended, for the Marche women, with 1 point won. First and third sets won by Milan, always in control and good at keeping the Marches at a distance. Second partial resolved in a sprint by Vallefoglia, while in the fourth the hosts gave no way to a very foul Milan to enter the game. Tie-break balanced until 11-11, won in the final by Milano thanks to a super Myriam Sylla. MVP of the challenge just Sylla, author of 15 points, in double figures also Egonu (20), Daalderop (13) and Danesi (12). For Numia Vero Volleyball at the gates now the big match of the championship against Savino Del Bene Scandicci: Wednesday, February 26 at 20:30 coach Lavarini’s girls will be on the court of the Opiquad Arena in Monza for the challenge against the Tuscans, decisive for the final placement in the regular season.

THE MATCH
For the match against Vallefoglia, coach Lavarini confirms the sextet with Orro-Egonu on the diagonal, Sylla and Daalderop slappers, Danesi-Kurtagic pair in the center and Gelin in the role of libero.

FIRST SET
Milan’s first two points bear the signature of Sylla, well served by Orro. Balance on court until 4-4, then comes the first guest stretch, signed Egonu-Daalderop: 4-7. Vallefoglia relies on the Bici-Lee pair and regains parity at 12-12. Ace by Danesi: 12-14. Decisive stretch by Milan, thanks to Paola Egonu, who signs the 13-17 ace. Pistola time-out. Vallefoglia comes back well, and places the counterbreak: first the attack of former Candi, then the wall of Perovic, 17-18. Lavarini time-out. Ace by captain Orro, mural by Sylla: 18-22. Weitzel scores from the center, but Bici’s error closes the first set: 21-25.

SECOND SET
Vallefoglia sprint start: 4-0 in the opening of the partial with Weitzel’s attack, Lavarini time-out. On the return è another Milan, and thanks to Daalderop-Kurtagic regains first parity and then the lead on 5-7. Vallefoglia time-out. Danesi’s turn at bat does not stop, bringing Milan to 5-9. The Marche women però don&#39t mind and regain parity on 11-11 thanks to Weitzel&#39s wall. Now the momentum is on Vallefoglia’s side, which goes up 13-11 with Bici’s attack. Milan stays in touch: Egonu’s diagonal is worth -1. New guest overtake: Sylla attack without wall: 18-19. Pistola time-out. Milan tries the decisive break, but Vallefoglia does not give up: 22-22. Bici attack, 24-23: Lavarini time-out. It’s Bici again to close the partial 25-23 in favor of the hosts.

THIRD SET
Egonu opens the third set with the winning diagonal. Unleashed Daalderop: two attacks in a row by the Dutch setter make it 2-6. Weitzel-Lee lead Vallefoglia’s reaction, but è again Daalderop, supported by Danesi, keeps Milan in a reassuring lead: 9-14. Candi tries to shake Megabox, but Milan now è unleashed; Kurtagic wall, Egonu ace: 11-19. Smrek and Konstantinidou in. Fast forward to the end of the partial: another Danesi wall, followed by Konstantinidou’s ace. Milan closes the partial 14-25.

FOURTH SET
The hosts start strong: 5-1 signed Giovannini-Bici. Egonu attack, Kurtagic wall: 6-3. Lee unleashed and Vallefoglia goes up 11-5. In come Cazaute and Pietrini, but the break of the hosts doesn’t stop: 13-6 thanks to Weitzel’s wall. Ace Lee and another wall by Weitzel: 15-6. Sylla returns and tries to sound the charge, but Vallefoglia maintains a big lead: 18-9. Lee always hurts Milan, which cannot find countermeasures. Two errors by Kurtagic and Egonu, ace by Kobzar: 24-12. Another Sylla error delivers the set to the hosts: 25-12.

FIFTH SET
The tie-break starts with Danesi’s winning wall, immediately equalized by Lee’s attack. First extension of the hosts, with Weitzel’s ace: 4-2. Milan finds parity at 5-5, thanks to Danesi’s wall on Candi. Lee again stings: the court changes to 8-7. More parity; on 9-9. In with Heyrman. Egonu with mani-out to end an interminable exchange: first Milanese advantage on 10-11. Break signed Daalderop-Heyrman: 11-13. Sylla’s attack ends the contest: Milan wins 2-3.

POST MATCH STATEMENT
Myriam Sylla, setter Numia Vero Volley Milano: “The way è the fourth set went probably today è a point lost. The è attitude was not the right one, we have to work a lot on these aspects, attacking the opponent when you è one step away from getting maximum points. In the fourth set I felt that Vallefoglia felt in control of the set, and we need to work a lot on that. Important in any case, in the end, to have brought home the match”.

Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia-Numia Vero Volley Milan 2-3 (21-25, 25-23, 14-25, 25-12, 12-15)

Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia: Bici 22, Feduzzi, Michieletto, Giovannini 5, De Bortoli (L), Candi 6, Torcolacci, Perovic 1, Kobzar 1, Weitzel 18, Lee 22, Lazda, Carletti. N.E. Sordoni (L). All. Pistola.
Numia Vero Volley Milan: Cazaute 2, Gelin (L), Heyrman 1, Pietrini, Orro 4, Danesi 12, Konstantinidou 2, Kurtagic 7, Smrek, Sylla 15, Egonu 20, Daalderop 13. N.E. Guidi, Fukudome (L). All. Lavarini.

NOTES

Referees: Luca Saltalippi, Ilaria Vagni

Spectators: 1946

Set length: 25′, 32′, 25′, 26′, 18′. Tot. 2h 6′

Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia: winning strokes 3, wrong strokes 15, walls 9, errors 24, attack 44%
Numia Vero Volley Milan: winning strokes 7, wrong strokes 9, walls 12, errors 22, attack 40%

MVP: Myriam Sylla (Numia Vero Volleyball Milan)

Facility: Pala Megabox – Pesaro

Atalanta, Gian Piero Gasperini è ready to play for the Scudetto

Here are the words to the microphones of Sky Sport of Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini after the 5-0 goleada in Empoli.

“The ranking è extraordinary after 26 days. Now on Sunday there’s another day with Venezia, it won’t be easy. Our goal is to get closer and move forward like this. This is an extraordinary path”.

“One is quick to say ‘easy games’. We won in Verona, in Como. But games are never easy, even tonight. Lookman? We are all professionals. We had a good race”.

“Atalanta was unlucky. Scamacca, Scalvini and Kossonou are three important players. We were leading the league for a long time”.

“In June, after the victory in the Europa League, looking around I saw Inter as the favorite and we were able to play with the others. What Napoli has done is extraordinary but since we are there we will do everything to stay there”.

Empoli-Atalanta 0-5

After the ugly surprise elimination with Club Brugge, Atalanta returned to winning ways in the league and did so in a clear-cut manner against Empoli, which is in its fourth knockout in a row. At Castellani, in fact, it ends 5-0 for the Nerazzurri who mortgage the challenge after only 45’thanks to a Gyasi author and goals by Lookman and Retegui. In the second half, the Nigerian signed his personal double, before Zappacosta dropped the manita.

Atalanta got off to a strong start: on 2’ Bellanova grazed the post on an assist from Lookman, on 4’ Zappacosta committed Silvestri in the dive, on 5’ Silvestri saved on Djimsiti. Empoli responded with Kouame on 15’ but his left footer found the gloves of Carnesecchi. At 27’ the Dea took the lead with a’ Gyasi’s own goal that deflected a Zappacosta cross into the goal, six minutes later it doubled with the usual Retegui who scored from two steps. In the final also comes the tris with Lookman who takes advantage of a kissing assist from Retegui, skips past Silvestri and deposits in the net.

The resumption begins with a double chance for Empoli again with Henderson but in both cases his shot ends just wide. At 55’ the orobici drop the poker with Lookman who finds the double with a nice left diagonal shot. With a quarter of an hour to go there’è glory also for Zappacosta who beats Silvestri with a low right-footed shot and seals the final 5-0.

Thanks to this thunderous success, Atalanta moves closer to Napoli (-2) and Inter (-3) in the standings, igniting the Scudetto fight. Third’last place, however, for Empoli, increasingly in crisis, stuck at 21 points.