Italy, led by Julio Velasco, continues its surge in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League with a decisive 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-20) victory over Serbia in a match from the third week in the Dutch city of Apeldoorn. Thus, the "Azzurre" recorded their 10th consecutive win for the year and 24th overall, with the streak starting back in the second week of the 2024 VNL in Macao and continuing through the Olympic Games in Paris. At the same time, this is Serbia's ninth loss.
Squad depth – Velasco's key
Italy demonstrated a wealth of options. Velasco used extensive rotation, bringing in different players at crucial moments, which brought stability and freshness. This was particularly evident in the second set, when Antropova came in and led the team forward after a comeback from 16-20, and Nervini closed the set with an attack for 26-24.
Match Chronicle
1st Set:Italy started confidently with a break by Egonu and Sylla, and Danesi's blocks left no chances for Boskovic. The set concluded convincingly at 25-17.
2nd Set:Serbia started better, but service errors and Antropova's attacks tipped the scales in Italy's favor.
3rd Set:Egonu was once again merciless, and the contributions of Cambi and Nervini finally broke the resistance of the Serbians.
Top Scorers
Egonu finished with 17 points, Antropova added 9, and Danesi scored 5. For Serbia, Boskovic was the leader with 14 points, but could not overcome the stable Italian defense and organization.
On to the Finals
With this success, Italy remains at the top of the overall standings. After a rest day, the team will face Turkey (July 12) and the hosts from the Netherlands (July 13), before the battles in the final phase.
