Screaming comeback for Stefano Lavarini’s Igor Volley, which first moves clearly forward, then goes down and reacts twice, both in the fourth and fifth set, one step away from the “abyss”. MVP award for Nika Daalderop, but the performance of Caterina Bosetti, who proved to be a leader in the most difficult moments of the match, was sumptuous.

Busto on the field with Mingardi opposite Poulter, Stevanovic and Olivotto central, Gray and Lucia Bosetti spikers and Zannoni free; Igor with Hancock in the direction and Karakurt diagonally, Chirichella and Washington in the center, Caterina Bosetti and Daalderop in the band and Fersino free.

It starts immediately head to head, with Novara’s errors that twice give inertia to Busto (5-4, then 9-7) but the Azzurre sew up with Karakurt and Daalderop and impact on 12-12, then overtaking with Hancock’s second touch (12-13). Shortly after comes Karakurt’s break (winning diagonal, 15-17) with Daalderop who finds the +3 on the block at 17-20 while Musso stops the game; on the return to the court are two aces by Karakurt (18-23) to secure the partial, with a block by Washington on Gray that is worth 19-25.

We return to the court and Novara starts strong with Caterina Bosetti who realizes a great defense by Fersino (0-3), and Daalderop who widens the gap with the diagonal of 4-7 and the maniout of 4-8 and Washington at the block makes it 4-9. Chirichella in fast keeps the distance (8-12), Novara holds the advantage until 13-17 (Gray’s error), then suffers a sudden “blackout”: on Lucia Bosetti’s serving turn (also an ace for her) comes the overtaking (18-17) while Lavarini changes the main diagonal, inserting Battistoni and Rosamaria. Stevanovic’s ace “mortgages” the partial (20-18), Novara returns (20-20) but Busto does not stop anymore and escapes 25-21. To report on 20-19 a knee problem (further investigations will be carried out in the coming days to ascertain the nature of the trouble), which forces the American center to “forfeit”.

With Bonifacio in the sextet, Novara appears dazed for the previous set and the Azzurre immediately go down 4-1 while Lavarini sends Rosamaria on the court for Karakurt. Daalderop keeps his team in the game (8-6) but Lucia Bosetti raises and makes 13-8 on the block giving the “go” to a very long break that closes on 17-8 while Lavarini stops the game twice, in vain. Busto does not loosen his grip and closes with momentum 25-11 with Gray’s diagonal.

Lavarini confirms Rosamaria in the sextet, we start head to head with Bosetti and Daalderop in evidence (7-7) and Busto Arsizio who finds the first break at 10-8, signing the 12-9 with Mingardi in maniout. Hancock at the wall and Caterina Bosetti with two points in succession make it 16-15, Rosamaria equalizes diagonally and after Busto’s timeout the hosts “tear” again despite two points by Rosamaria, taking 20-18. Novara wastes two sensational opportunities with Hancock (22-20) but Herbots, who has just entered, mends the tear in the pipe (22-22) Bonifacio realizes a great defense by Bosetti with the touch of 22-23. The rest is done by an ace by Hancock (22-24) and a smart shot by Caterina Bosetti (23-25), which send the teams to the tie-break.

Sextets confirmed in the decisive set and Busto immediately tries to escape (3-0) with Mingardi, while Novara returns and a net invasion nullifies the 3-3, sealing the 4-2 for the Lombards. Gray sends the teams to the change of court at 8-5, Busto escapes up to 11-6, two points in a row by Caterina Bosetti (11-8) and an ace by Chirichella (11-9) reopen the contest. On Hancock’s serving turn (12-10), Rosamaria “stops” Mingardi, then the American finds the ace of 12-12 and propitiates the overtaking at 12-13 while Musso calls his own. Mingardi gives the match point to Novara (12-14, attack out), Gray cancels the first but the newcomer Ungureanu sends the serve “into the corner” that is worth 13-15 and 2-3.

Stefano Lavarini (coach Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “The result and the reaction in the fourth and fifth sets were good, for the rest we worked very well for a set and a half and then we entered a very long moment of difficulty from which we managed to get out just in time. I hope that despite the important victory obtained, this match can offer us an important lesson for the rest of the season”.

Caterina Bosetti (spiker Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “We close a very important week for us with three victories in as many games. With Busto we lost a point but it is not an important factor, as much as it is to have stayed in the game and believed in it, overturning a match in which we were at a disadvantage. From the outside maybe it seemed “over” but we believed in the comeback until the end and we did it”.

Nika Daalderop (spiker Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “It was a strange match, important ups and downs for both teams and reversals in front in different moments that significantly shifted the balance. Our merit is to have remained united and compact in the most delicate moment, both in the fourth set and in the fifth when we were so far down a few points from the finish line. We didn’t give up, we stayed in the game and in the end we got an important result.”

Unet E-work Busto Arsizio – Igor Gorgonzola Novara 2-3 (19-25, 25-21, 25-11, 23-25, 13-15)
Unet E-work Busto Arsizio: Poulter 3, Battista ne, Olivotto 7, Cerbino (L) ne, Monza ne, Bressan ne, Gray 24, Colombo ne, Mingardi 21, Zannoni (L), Stevanovic 12, L. Bosetti 9, Ungureanu 1, Herrera Blanco ne. Coach: Musso.
Igor Gorgonzola Novara: Imperiali (L) ne, Herbots 2, Montibeller 7, Battistoni, Fersino (L), C. Bosetti 16, Chirichella 5, Hancock 8, Bonifacio 3, Washington 6, Costantini ne, D’Odorico ne, Daalderop 15, Karakurt 9. Coach: Lavarini.
MVP Nika Daalderop