VNL 2025, Italy-Netherlands 3-0: Azzurri score ten, hunt for honors at the Finals in China

A ten awaiting honors. The Italian volleyball team, beating the Netherlands 3-0 (25-13, 25-22, 25-19), secured their tenth Nations League victory, reaching 28 points and second place in the overall standings. Fefè De Giorgi's Italy performed impressively in the intercontinental phase of the VNL, which concluded today in Ljubljana. At the Stožice Arena, the resounding victory over the Netherlands confirmed a perfect run in week 3, rounded out by three other important victories against Serbia (3-0), Ukraine (3-2), and Slovenia (3-0). This performance allows the national team to finish the pool stage as the second seed, while awaiting the final ranking of the top eight teams that will compete in the Finals in Ningbo, from July 30th to August 3rd.

The match began with Sbertoli as setter, Bovolenta as opposite hitter, Michieletto and Porro as spikers, Galassi and Gargiulo as middle blockers, and Pace as libero . On the other side, Dutch coach Banks chose Berkhout as setter, Ahyi as opposite hitter, Koops and Bak as spikers, Korenblek and Wiltenburg as middle blockers, and Klok as libero. The Italian coach therefore gave space to those who had been less present in this Pool 8 in Ljubljana, receiving important responses from a group that started the match in the best possible way, also managing the opponents' partial comeback in the second set. Sbertoli took over as setter to give captain Giannelli a break, while Alessandro Bovolenta emerged from the spikers' group, the Italians' top scorer with 12 points. At the start of the third set, Mattia Bottolo also entered the court. The script at this stage remained unchanged, with Italy consistently ahead (8-4). In the central phase, Italy managed the considerable advantage (12-7) in the best possible way without stopping, thus achieving victory number ten of the intercontinental phase with a definitive 25-19.

And now the Finals in China. The Azzurri will return tomorrow morning on a bus leaving Ljubljana and arriving in Venice around 10:30 a.m. After a few days of well-deserved rest, Italy will meet again on Thursday, July 24th, at the "Giulio Onesti" Olympic Training Center in Rome for a training camp before departing for China on Saturday, July 26th.

ITALY-NETHERLANDS 3-0 (25-13, 25-22, 25-19) ITALY: Sbertoli 2, Michieletto 4, Gargiulo 8, Bovolenta 12, Porro 13, Galassi 6, Pace (L), Bottolo 6. Ne Giannelli, Balaso, Rychlicki, Lavia, Anzani, Caneschi, Coach De Giorgi NETHERLANDS: Berkhout 1, Koops 4, Wiltenburg 6, Ahyi 13, Bak 6, Korenblek 6, Klok (L), Keemink, Meijs, De Groot 1. Ne Van Der Ent, Plak, Tuinstra, Martinez. Coach Banks Referees: Erdal (TUR), Olivier (FRA) Notes: set duration 20', 25', 26'; total 71'. Italy: a 4, sc 14, mv 8, et 17 Holland: a 2, sc 18, mv 6, et 24

VNL 2025 menPool 8 (Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Wednesday, July 16

Ukraine-Netherlands 3-2 (25-21, 20-25, 20-25, 26-24, 15-13) Italy-Serbia 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-16) Canada-Slovenia 1-3 (25-21, 21-25, 19-25, 21-25)

Thursday, July 17

Italy-Ukraine 3-2 (25-15, 25-20, 16-25, 23-25, 15-10) Netherlands-Slovenia 0-3 (22-25, 20-25, 15-25)

Friday, July 18

Ukraine-Serbia 0-3 (22-25, 19-25, 17-25)Netherlands-Canada 0-3 (22-25, 20-25, 15-25)

Saturday, July 19th

Serbia-Canada 3-1 (15-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-22) Italy-Slovenia 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-23)

Sunday, July 20th

Ukraine-Canada 1-3 (21-25, 37-25, 29-31, 21-25) Italy-Netherlands 3-0 (25-13, 22-25, 25-19)

8:30 PM Serbia-Slovenia