ITALY 🇮🇹 vs SERBIA 🇷🇸| HIGHLIGHTS | Women's VNL 2025
Jul 21, 2025
ITALY vs SERBIA | HIGHLIGHTS | Women's VNL 2025. Olympic champs shut out world champs in VNL!
The two southern European teams engaged in a competitive fight, but Italy capitalized on the abundant unforced errors the Serbians made to take the match in straight sets, 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-20). Star opposite Paola Egonu led Italy in dominating the first set. Set two was the most competitive one. Serbia opened a gap that went as wide as four points at times, but in the money time, Italy reached the first set point and converted the second to double their lead. Serbia managed to come back from a five-point deficit in the third set only to let it slip away by a five-point margin in the end.
Despite splitting her time on the court with 22-year-old back-up opposite Ekaterina Antropova, Paola Egonu emerged as the best scorer of the match with 17 points, all spiked in attack at a 59% success rate. Swinging at a 73% success rate, Antropova was Italy’s next best scorer, with nine points, including one kill block. Their counterpart and captain of Serbia Tijana Boskovic led her team with 14 attack points. 20-year-old outside hitter Vanja Ivanovic added another 11 points, including two aces.
“We are always very excited to play every match. I think it is really important to keep the consistency and stay in the game. Today we had some difficulties, but it is important that we came out with a 3-0 victory and we are happy about it,” Antropova told VBTV.
Middle blocker Kurtogic and here she goes, puts the ball in play.
It's a better serve. It's a middle attack and it's a Sarah far point.
Boscovich's left-handed serve taken by Sela.
Eganu from the back row Boscovich got under it to try to dig it,
but it's out of bounds and out of play.
Serbia trying to attack on the slide play and Sela and
far were ready, particularly Sela.
Sela and Eganu both starring in Italy at Milano.
And how about that?
Goro taking her talents to the Turkish league this coming year.
She sends a set to Eganu who rips it off of Yevdic.
Sorry to her teammates, but she's in there. She's in the fight.
Sarah far getting her ninth, making her 10th straight start for Italy.
Eganu hammers that one cross court.
I love the block defense. They expect the ball to be tipped on far.
So she's already hanging out behind the block, picks it up.
She would tack against Aleksic. Such a great blocker.
She's in the front row now.
Uzalats blocked, recycled.
Someone else has got to set it. Yevdic for Boscovich. Blocked down.
Big block by Danesi.
Maja Aleksic.
As big of a middle blocking star as there is.
And that is hammered by Sela. So nice that they roll right back to her.
Setter on the other side, also wearing the number eight is Mutikovic.
Eganu had to take something off that.
Uzalats blocked. They're going to come again.
This time they go to Boscovich. Goes with a tip. DiGennaro ready.
Uzalats from way back.
Out of system again coming Italy.
And Eganu has managed to squeak this one out and get a point for Italy.
Miriam Sela.
Middle attack on Serbia.
Kurgic is covered, scrambled over by Italy.
Sela gets a dig. Can they get back in system?
They can almost. Italy keeps it alive.
Serbia comes again. Mirkovic for Boscovich.
Can she clean it up? Not yet.
Here's Eganu's chance. She does it.
Oh, my goodness.
Saves the day for Italy. Unreal.
What a rally.
And hammered down.
So no setter on the floor on that sequence.
Waits for that referee whistle.
Adejvanovic, Boscovich.
And she scores one.
A little bit of a slow start for Tiana Boscovich.
Can they fight back and get another today against Italy?
Here we go. Set number two.
Sela puts the ball in play.
Serbia in red, attacking with Adejvanovic.
Nice swing.
And that's going to score the opening point.
Did she hit that with authority?
In week two,
Mirkovic has to put this ball up or gets to put this ball up.
Joust at the net.
Serbia gets a chance to attack with Boscovich.
Nice pickup from Oro.
Di Gennaro sets it for Eganu.
Finds that deep line.
Nicely done.
Serbia, three block points to two already.
Leads in that category.
Oh, what a good choice by Oro.
Set to make. For sure.
And then she turns it into a point.
Yep. Brilliant.
Korogic couldn't finish.
Might get another chance.
Who knows? Eganu says no way.
Oro, after that last attack, dump.
She got both blockers to hold with.
Korogic at Nervini.
Eganu with a heavy tip.
Here's Boscovich.
She finds the open spot and Serbia has finally built up a three point lead.
And they do have the nice three point lead.
Di Gennaro gets there.
Good coverage.
Deep tip from Eganu.
She's got so many different tools.
First of all, in the hands of one number 18 to the other number 18.
Here's Eganu.
Throws it up really high and chases it.
Ivanovic hammers it down the line.
She's starting to feel it.
Yeah, you can't sleep on Maja Eleksic, who's now serving.
She will stay up there and get a hand on a ball.
Nervini goes cross court and gets a touch.
Or was it in?
Danesi.
Ivanovic gets high hands, kept alive Italy.
Middle attack. Far.
Karlana Kambi ready to serve.
Sends it at Ivanovic.
Here she comes. There she goes.
Tiana Boscovich is still in the back row for Serbia,
but that doesn't mean she can't attack.
Here's Antropova. She can attack from anywhere.
Serbia trying to defend here,
but it's Antropova who is they just know she's coming.
Set point Italy. Oh, what a serve.
Boscovich. Nice pick up from Degradi.
Nervini scores the winning point and Italy takes the set.
26-24. What a comeback.
And really, like I said, teams like being pushed.
And Serbia did it. I love their game plan.
They had them.
But this is something that they have to keep fighting through
and finding out how to win.
We talked about their five set matches that they've played so far in the VNL.
We'll see if they can push them to five. It's going to be tough.
And so she's going to start this third set and she gets an ace
right out of the box.
Good pass to start the play, but
Iganu misses and Kordogic and Dongovic saying, no, we did not touch it.
And Italy saying, yes, you did touch it.
They want it. And Iganu is pretty, she's the first one.
It is the wiggle.
A little wiggle.
All right. Good challenge team.
Meanwhile, Serbia's found their way to get into the lead again here.
Iganu took a little off it.
Kordogic sets it up and everybody reacting.
And Oro says, well, someone else is going to set, I'm going to attack.
The former Katerina Lazovic, she's known by both names these days.
Middle attack from Danesi.
Time here for Serbia. Don't let this get away.
Did they get the pancake? Dongovic picked up by Oro.
Di Gennaro sets it, Iganu scores it.
That's the ball for Iganu.
Again, holds it all together.
Tijana Boscovic is going to play at Vakif Bank,
switching teams in the Turkish League this year.
Nervini again uses those hands so well.
She's put up some amazing block numbers in just five plus games.
Speaking of blocking, Kordogic is all over it.
There's one that'll give you some momentum.
A very good move by Kordogic.
Excellent blocker.
Watch her hands finish into the middle of the court.
It's a great block move.
One of these players who can carry her team on her back for stretches of time.
De Grady is blocked and down it goes.
That blocking from Serbia again.
Karlotta Kambi, 29 year old setter.
Ivanovic, no touch.
Relatively busy.
Close.
Close, but...
They need to focus their energy on Boscovic.
She can take over.
She's one of the few that can take over.
She's going to attack from well back.
They recycle it.
Pusic knows who to give it to.
A tip from Boscovic.
Oh, I thought that was down.
Maybe it was kept up.
Ivanovic tries the tip.
Popped up by far.
Nervini.
Pusic is there.
Paravic, Ivanovic.
That's going to finally score the point for the team in red.
Ivanovic, off the net.
Kept alive in late.
And Trapova bails them out of trouble.
And Trapova knows how important it is and stymies it.
Stella Nervini, the 21-year-old outside hitter.
Oh, nice pickup from Dongovic.
Boscovic, blocked and it's match point Italy.
Look at this.
Italy, four match points.
Again, they send the setter scrambling.
Dongovic gets it over, but it's a chance for Italy to finish.
Pusic with the up.
Boscovic, and it's all over.
Serbia puts up a fight, but the Olympic champions
and the VNL champions, Italy, too good.
They win it in straight sets.