VNL 2023: Italy destroy Serbia. 3 points also for USA, Argentina and France
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2023 Volleyball Nations League continued today with “only” 4 matches.
In the first match of the day in Pool 3 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, USA had a dominant performance, overcoming Iran 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:23). Veterans opposite Matt Anderson and middle blocker Taylor Averill were the top scorer among the winners with 13 points each, but Iranian opposite Amin Esmaeilnezhad was the match’s most prolific player with 16. Decisive, however, the 13 aces of the winners, 7 from a great Aaron Russell.
On the same Pool, after five straight victories, the world champions are now in fifth place!
After starting the competition with two defeats, Italy continue to climb the standings following a 3-0 (25:11, 25:21, 25:20) clear win over continental rivals Serbia.
Step by step, the team coached by Ferdinando De Giorgi seems to be finding their rhythm.
Today world champions Yuri Romanò and Roberto Russo were among the most productive Italian players. The 25-year-old opposite was the top scorer with 15 points including two aces, while the 26-year-old middle blocker had a very good performance, scoring to 13 points with five attacks, three aces and five blocks.
Serbia had three players in double digits: outside hitter Pavle Peric with 15 points (all in attack), opposite Bozidar Vucicevic who added 12 including two blocks, and outside hitter Miran Kujundžić, who scored another ten all in attack.
Except for attack, where Serbia was the most effective with 41 points to 37, the winners dominated in all other elements of the match, getting more blocks (13 to five), aces (five to one) and points from opponent errors (20 to five).
Among the best team of the moment are surely Argentina who, despite the absence of Luciano De Cecco, celebrated the second win in a row and the fifth in VNL 2023 securing a spot to the Finals in Gdansk, Poland: against Bulgaria, in Pool 4 in Orleans, Agustin Loser was once again decisive in a straight sets win (25:18, 25:21, 25:22), author of 16 points including as many as 6 winning blocks.
On the same Pool, hosts France don’t waste the last chance to stay in Finals contention after beating Cuba
with a clear 3-0 (25:18, 25:20, 25:20), taking advantage from the rivals’ 34 errors.
In double digit only Jean Patry with 14 points while, on the other side
of the net, devastating day for bomber Jesus Herrera (only 4 points and 7 errors!), and 8 winning blocks were not enough.
Tomorrow, Saturday June 24, a very rich program: it will be a big match the one between Japan and Argentina in Pool 4, but interesting are also Brazil-Slovenia, in the same Pool, and Poland-USA in Pool 3, in which the hosts The Netherlands and Iran will face each other for a spot in the top 8.
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🏐| 2023 VOLLEYBALL NATIONS LEAGUE
— June 23, 2023 —
Pool 3 – Week 2 – Rotterdam 🇳🇱
• 16:30 (Local Time) | Iran – USA 0-3 (22:25, 18:25, 23:25)
• 20:00 (Local Time) | Serbia – Italy 0-3 (11:25, 21:25, 20:25)
Pool 4 – Week 2 – Orléans 🇫🇷
• 16:30 (Local Time) | Argentina – Bulgaria 3-0 (25:18, 25:21, 25:22)
• 21:00 (Local Time) | France – Cuba 3-0 (25:18, 25:20, 25:20)
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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Japan 20
2. USA 18
4. Slovenia 18
3. Argentina 15
5. Italy 15
6. Brazil 13
7. Poland 11
8. The Netherlands 11
9. Serbia 9
10. Iran 7
11. France 6
12. Canada 5
13. Bulgaria 5
14. Germany 4
15. Cuba 3
16. China 2
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…NEXT MATCHES:
— June 24, 2023 —
Pool 3 – Week 2 – Rotterdam 🇳🇱
• 13:00 (Local Time) | Poland – USA
• 17:00 (Local Time) | The Nethelands – Iran
• 20:30 (Local Time) | China – Germany
Pool 4 – Week 2 – Orléans 🇫🇷
• 13:00 (Local Time) | Japan – Argentina
• 16:30 (Local Time) | Brazil – Slovenia
• 21:00 (Local Time) | Canada – France
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👀|QUICK LINKS
• All International news 🗞️
• VNL 2023: NEWS
• VNL 2023: CALENDAR
• Multimedia
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