28/01/2016 00:16
VakifBank finish pool stage on six wins after tie-break win in Novara
2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Women
Novara, Italy, January 27, 2016. Italian rookies Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA fought till the end before succumbing 2-3 (20-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-21, 12-15) to Turkey’s standout VakifBank ISTANBUL in the sixth and last round of action in Pool B of the 2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League – Women. Giovanni Guidetti’s team finished the group stage of the competition with an unblemished 6-0 win-loss record, while the Italian ‘Blue Girls’ will now continue their European campaign in the Challenge Round of the CEV Volleyball Cup.
After winning already the previous matchup at home, the Turkish team led by Giovanni Guidetti claimed another victory over NOVARA thanks to a great performance by their Dutch opposite Lonneke Slöetjes who recorded 25 points with 46% of success rate in attack. Another impressive performance was delivered by the Italian middle blocker Sara Bonifacio, who scored eight blocks in the game.
NOVARA had a promising start (8-6) but VakifBank came back soon afterwards and took the lead before the second technical timeout (16-15) as the hosts had to replace their libero Stefania Sansonna due to knee problems, before closing the set 25-20 with two points in a row by Milena Rasic.
After the break, NOVARA stepped up their efforts in the second set (8-6) where Noemi Signorile’s serving series was crucial to achieve the set win (16-6). The Turkish players did their best to come back but this time they could not do much as Samanta Fabris finished the set 25-21 for the home side.
The third set was a close affair: after Kimberly Hill had replaced Anne Buijs, VakifBank took the lead in the first part of the set (8-7, 14-10) before NOVARA came back in the second with the help of their American spiker Nicole Fawcett (20-20). In the end the Dutch star Robin de Kruijf was crucial for VakifBank’s win with eight points and three blocks of her own in the set (25-21).
The fourth set saw again NOVARA and VakifBank fighting hard till the end: the Turkish side took the lead at first, NOVARA came back halfway through the set and then closed it 25-21 anchored by Samanta Fabris (who registered five points and 45% in attack in this set).
The tie-break was a tough fight again and in the end two blocks by Turkish setter Naz Aydemir Akyol closed the game 15-12 to put an end to a volleyball show that had lasted for two hours and a half.
“We really wanted to win,” said the setter of VakifBank, Naz Aydemir Akyol, “as we lost our last league game on Saturday and we needed a positive result for our team spirit. NOVARA was a good opponent but in the end we made it through and I am happy about that.”
“We did our best and we almost made it happen,” said the Italian middle blocker Sara Bonifacio, “and I am sure it was a positive performance by the whole team. Step by step we are improving and we have to keep on working hard.”
“We want to congratulate NOVARA, as they played a great game,” said VakifBank coach Giovanni Guidetti. “Maybe we did not deliver our best performance but we won and that is what really counts in the end.”
“Tonight I am sad only about the result,” said the Italian mentor Marco Fenoglio, “as we really did a great job. It was not enough to edge such a great team as VakifBank but I am really optimistic about our next steps. We will play in the CEV Cup and that is important for us: we are happy to continue our European campaign.”
Click here for more info including detailed stats of the match
|