Twelfth consecutive success for Stefano Lavarini’s Igor Volley, which wins 0-3 in Brescia and thus establishes the club’s best positive series ever. The Azzurre, without Sansonna (victim of a blow in Saturday training and not a match with her teammates) and with Hancock not at his best (like the “long-suffering” Washington) and kept at rest, overcome the Lombards in three sets, also in emergency, dragged by an excellent Britt Herbots. The Belgian, MVP and top scorer of the match, finished with 18 points and 45% in attack, while on the block to make the “big voice” was Sara Bonifacio with 5 points in the fundamental.

Brescia on the field without central players, with an anomalous sextet composed of Bechis in the direction and Nicoletti in diagonal, Biganzoli and Hippe “false” central, Jasper and Cvetnic spikers and the alternation of the two libero Pericati (for the reception) and Parlangeli (for the defense); Novara with Smarzek opposite Battistoni, Bonifacio and Chirichella central, Herbots and Bosetti spikers and Napodano free.

Bosetti starts strong with two aces and Novara makes 0-4, then stretching further with two points in a row by Herbots (4-9) and with a great block by Battistoni on Cvetnic that is worth 5-11. Brescia reacts but Novara keeps its distance (10-18, fast by Chirichella) with Mazzola who stops the game; the Lombards, among whose ranks Angelini is seen again, get closer to 14-19 but after Lavarini’s timeout the Azzurre escape again until the set ball won by Smarzek in parallel (18-24). Herbots closes diagonally, at 19-25.

Brescia starts again with Angelina in the sextet and after the 0-3 blue (Herbots), the hosts return with Jasper’s maniout (3-4) while Novara tries to stretch with Bosetti, scoring twice in succession, and at 6-9 it is Mazzola who stops the game. On Battistoni’s serving turn, however, Novara escapes 6-13 with Bonifacio’s block while Brescia, shortly after, tries to get back right into the wall, shortening 9-13 with two “prints” in a row. Herbots (11-15) and Bosetti (15-19) take advantage of the opponent’s wall, Angelina shortens 18-20 in the pipe but in the decisive moment Novara finds the decisive partial (1-5) taking advantage of two attacks in the first half by Chirichella, who closes the set on 19-25.

Mazzola revolutionizes the sextet again, choosing a formation with two playmakers (Bridi and Bechis) and four hammers but Novara immediately raises the pace and makes it 1-4 with a great block by Smarzek; Brescia tries with Biganzoli (3-4) but Novara extends again to the wall (Battistoni, 3-7) and shortly after goes from 6-9 to 6-13 with Bonifacio on the shields on the wall and Napodano in defense. The match holds no more surprises, Novara keeps its distance with Bonifacio (7-15, block) and Smarzek (9-18, great maniout after an endless exchange) to then extend in the final, closing the match on 16-25 thanks to a winning diagonal by Herbots.

Britt Herbots (spiker Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “We did what we had to, Brescia has its problems but went on the field with nothing to lose and is a team capable of fighting and playing well. We work daily to improve and I believe that the path taken is right, I think it is important to keep continuity because in the Italian championship as soon as you lose lucidity and concentration you risk a lot “.

Stefano Lavarini (coach Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “Both teams had problems and it showed on the pitch, it was not a good game from a technical point of view but in this context we did ours, winning three important points. We did well in some situations but we continue to work to grow and improve.”

Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia – Igor Gorgonzola Novara 0-3 (19-25, 19-25, 16-25)
Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia: Bechis 2, Angelina 8, Jasper 10, Pericati (L), Cvetnic 1, Parlangeli (L), Bridi, Biganzoli 4, Hippe 2, Botezat ne, Berti ne, Nicoletti 11, Sala. Coach: Mazzola.
Igor Gorgonzola Novara: Populini, Herbots 18, Napodano (L), Zanette, Battistoni 3, Tajè (L) ne, Bosetti 12, Chirichella 6, Hancock ne, Bonifacio 9, Washington ne, Smarzek 10, Bertolucci ne, Daalderop ne. Coach: Lavarini.
MVP Britt Herbots