VOLLEYBALL: The Australian men’s volleyball team has recorded one of the biggest wins in its history, shocking Italy 3-0 in front of a capacity Italian crowd in Jesolo.
It’s the first time the Volleyroos have beaten Italy at any level, and Australia’s first win of the 2015 World League season.
Two weeks ago the Australians were trounced two-nil by an inexperienced Italian team in Adelaide, and then followed that result with another two-nil defeat at the hands of Brazil, in Brazil, last weekend.
“That’s a part of the story of the Volleyroos, right there,” Australia’s most capped player, Nathan Roberts, said after the match.
“It’s a little part, and we want to do that fairly consistently. To knock off an iconic team like Italy, they’ve been World Champions, they’ve been Olympic medalists, they’re a big team and a good team.
“Hopefully it’s just a stepping stone, we play them again on Sunday and hopefully we can do it again.”
Few people gave Australia a chance of upsetting the Italians, especially with the home side recalling star players Ivan Zaytsev and Emanuele Birarelli.
But Zaytsev struggled all night, with the Australians targeting him until Italian coach Mauro Berruto took him out of the game midway through the second set.
The key to Australia’s win was a powerful, almost error-free, service game, led by captain Tom Edgar, Paul Sanderson and the youngest member of the Volleyroos, Sam Walker.
The strong service game allowed Australia to build its defence, led by Jake Guymer and Nehemiah Mote, frustrating an Italian team who were behind most of the night.
But vying for player of the match for Australia was 2012 Olympian Greg Suikochev, who took the role of starting setter and gave Australia’s power hitters an armchair ride all night.
The Australians grew in confidence as the night progressed, even rallying to regain the lead after they were headed for the first time in the third set, running out winners 25-16, 25-18, 25-21.
Captain Tom Edgar led the way for the Volleyroos with 22 points.
“It’s great for such a young team to have this sort of win, and for the boys to experience a win against a high quality team like Italy it’s great,” Edgar said.
“It’s great for us building for the future, and it’s great for the boyds to experience that sort of emotion so early in our journey.”
Australia is playing in group one of World League for the first time, having won group two last year to earn their promotion.
The two teams will do battle again in Verona on Monday morning, Australian time, before Australia heads to Serbia for matches next Friday and Sunday.
Ross Solly for Volleyball Australia
