Victory in three sets for Stefano Lavarini’s Igor Volley, which overcomes Perugia after two hard-fought partials and a third played in crescendo for the Azzurre, dragged by Ilaria Battistoni (awarded with merit Esseco MVP of the match) and by the points of the Karakurt-Daalderop duo (33 in pairs).

Igor on the field with Hancock in the direction and Karakurt diagonally, Chirichella and Bonifacio in the center, Bosetti and Daalderop in the band and Fersino free; Perugia with Diouf opposite Bongaerts, Melandri and Bauer central, Havelkova and Guerra spikers and Sirressi free.

Perugia starts strong (1-4, diagonal by Guerra), Novara struggles to take countermeasures and despite Karakurt’s vein (4-6, winning pipe) the guests escape forcing Lavarini to timeout at 5-10. Bonifacio stitches up (9-11, ace), Guerra makes two in a row and escapes again (9-14) while Battistoni enters the direction; Novara gets closer to 15-16 with Chirichella and Karakurt, on Bosetti’s serving turn the Azzurre overtake going from 17-19 to 21-19 with Perugia who shortly after impacts again with Bauer at the net at 22-22. Chirichella blocks Diouf and sends Karakurt to serve who then also finds the ace of 25-22.

With Battistoni in the sextet, Novara raises the pace but the teams proceed point to point with Bosetti who signs the 7-7 and then the 9-9 concretizing a great defense by Karakurt; the Azzurre continue the break until 12-9, Bosetti at the block extends 16-12 but Perugia does not give up and remains in the game at the block (16-15) while Lavarini stops the game. Karakurt finds an “impossible” parallel (20-17), Guerra realizes a great defense by Diouf (21-20) but Hancock enters and makes the void in the serve, winning the set ball with the ace of 24-20. Shortly after, Karakurt closes 25-22 diagonally.

Head-to-head also at the start of the third set (4-4), Karakurt in attack and Bonifacio at the wall escape 11-7, with the Turkish who shortly after also finds the maximum advantage with the diagonal of 15-9. Chirichella finds two aces in a row (20-12) and makes the credits roll prematurely, then the inertia no longer changes with Herbots who enters and signs the 24-16 and Diouf who sends the ball into the net for 3-0 (25-15).

Stefano Lavarini (coach Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “It wasn’t a good game but also for this reason it is very positive to have found the right solutions to bring home a victory. We didn’t start well, we turned the first set in the final and the second set also saw us make a few too many mistakes while on the third set the course of the match probably weighed, with Perugia disuniting while we raised the level in reception and consequently we had a good rhythm also in attack “.

Ilaria Battistoni (director Igor Gorgonzola Novara): “I am happy for the team, because a victory after a good battle is always important and I am also proud to have been able to make my contribution to the cause. I work for this, to be ready when I am needed. The MVP award? Obviously it’s nice but what matters, in the end, is only that the team has won another important game.”

Igor Gorgonzola Novara – Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-15)
Igor Gorgonzola Novara: Imperiali (L) ne, Herbots 1, Montibeller, Battistoni 1, Fersino (L), Bosetti 6, Chirichella 9, Hancock 1, Bonifacio 6, Washington ne, Costantini ne, D’Odorico ne, Daalderop 14, Karakurt 19. Coach: Lavarini.
Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia: Provaroni ne, Melli 1, Bongaerts 2, Sirressi (L), Guiducci, Rumori (L) ne, Melandri 6, Guerra 17, Diouf 13, Scarabottini ne, Havelkova 4, Nwakalor, Diop, Bauer 3. Coach: Cristofani.
MVP: Ilaria Battistoni