Italian Scavolini Pesaro defeat Rabita Baku in Pool E of 2011 CEV Champions League
Italian Women’s Volleyball Club Scavolini Pesaro defeated Azerbaijan’s Rabita Baku in a bruising five set encounter on Thursday, 6th January, 2011.
The Italian team posted a 3-2 (20-25, 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, and 15-6) victory over their Azerbaijan competitors. The Italian performance was admirable as they put up a great fight. The Palacampanara Pesaro sports hall erupted with cheers from local fans after
a hard-earned victory.
First set
The visitors came on strong against the Italian squad in the first set. They served in the right direction and rolled off the ball within the boundary line.
Natalya Mammadova of Rabita Baku stormed the opponents’ half with strong hits. She supplied plenty of power to her shots and helped Azerbaijan score.
Italy played defensively and trailed behind with a one-point margin at the first technical timeout (FTT). Gradually the home girls found their feet on the court and hit back strongly.
The game picked up pace as both sides actively pushed the ball in each others’ halves. Azerbaijan enjoyed a great tone and continued with success.
Italy’s team tried to break their rhythm but Azerbaijan proved to be a tough nut to crack as they maintained their lead up till the second technical break. Scavolini Pesaro remained at close distance but somehow failed to stop their rivals. Rabita Baku swiftly
moved ahead with better spikes and aces, while Pesaro suffered the loss of a first set at 20-25.
Second set
The second set saw a change of momentum. Pesaro attacked aggressively and managed to drive Rabita behind. The home players scored well and built a lead of 8-6 at the first technical timeout.
Italy’s team took full benefit of the useful lead and kept an upper-hand over their opponents. Team Rabita lost momentum and failed to cope with the hard-hitting Italians. They were dragged under-pressure, which created more trouble for them.
Nonetheless, they continued making an effort to regain stability in the game. Scavolini was one point ahead of Rabita at the second technical timeout. Italy remained consistent in producing powerful serves and ground-breaking shots. They cropped out good
results on account of their hard work. The Italian squad closed the second set at 25-21 and brought the game score to 1-1.
Third set
The third set of the game was a see-saw battle between the two teams. Score lines remained close and both sides traded the lead frequently. Scavolini’s Martina Guiggi and Manon Flier displayed great skill and helped their team earn victory. Scavolini posted
25-19 and picked up the lead in the game.
Fourth set
Azerbaijan’s team bounced back in the game with a classic performance. They once again tied the game by claiming the fourth set of the match. The home team lost the set with a 2-point margin (23-25).
Final set
The 15-point golden set was totally dominated by the home squad. They picked up a strong lead and widened the gap between scores. Azerbaijan lost ground and gave way to an Italian victory in the final set of the game.
Scavolini Pesaro’s head coach, Paolo Tofoli, stated:
“It was a very difficult match especially because we had a period of holiday so we did not train as frequently as we usually do. We didn’t start in the right way; if the beginning had been different the match would have been different too. I am very happy
because the girls reacted in the right way in the second set, because they proved they wanted to win although this was not going to bring us the first place in the Pool”.
Rabita Baku’s head coach, Dejan Brdjoic, congratulated the winning team and acknowledged their better status in the game. Brdjoic said, “We are really satisfied because one point was enough to keep the first place in the rankings of Pool E. I send my best
wishes to Scavolini, which is a great team, and to Paolo Tofoli, who is a good friend”.
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