National team of Serbia
There wasn’t more than a point between the two teams from 3-3 to 10-10 in the first set, when Italy opened up a two-point gap three times. Two teams were level at 22 when Milena Rašić sent a serve long. Italy then held off two big spikes by Brakočević to set up a winner for Diouf that brought set point at 24-22. Serbia then failed to deal with a serve by Letizia Camera and Italy was 1-0 up in the match.
In the second set, Italy challenged a call at 9-5, which turned a long serve into an ace and gave Italy a five-point lead. Valentina Arrighetti delivered successive blows and Italy were six points ahead at 13-7 when Terzić called a timeout. After having nine points lead at 20-11, Italy went to sleep. Serbia made a remarkable recovery as they drew level at 22 on a block by Rašić and moved into the lead with another block, this time by Mihajlović. Diouf brought the scores level at 23 before Rašić made a quick shot from the center for set point and Mihajlović blocked Diouf for the set.
Italy breezed into a five-point lead in the third set but two classy, but were only two points ahead at the first TTO. A thumping serve by Brakočević brought the teams level at 9-9, but Italy led by two at the second TTO. Two Serbian errors and a thumper by Diouf put Italy 20-16 to finish the third set soon
A block by Rašić on Costagrande gave Serbia a four-point advantage at the second TTO and they were six points up at 21-15 after a block by Nataša Krsmanović, and Italy coach Marco Mencarelli called a timeout. He called another one at 23-16 after Rašić blocked Arrighetti. It didn’t do any good.
In the tiebreaker Serbia was 8-6 up and a rocket by Mihajlović put Serbia 13-9 ahead. Serbia got match point on a missed shot by Diouf and Mihajlović sent down the winning shot to earn Serbia the bronze medal.
Serbia came up with 19 blocking points to Italy’s 12, but Italy had the edge in serving, 8-6.
Jovana Brakočević and Brankica Mihajlović were the top scorers for Serbia with 26 points each. Valentina Diouf was Italy’s top scorer, also with 26 points.
See the WoV Community profiles of Serbia, Italy, Brakočević, Mihajlović and Diouf.
For more news from this competition, click on World Grand Prix 2013.
