This Day Yuji Nishida & Ivan Zaytsev Will Never Forget !!!

This Day Yuji Nishida & Ivan Zaytsev Will Never Forget !!! Italy put an end to Japan’s amazing winning streak of 10 victories in Volleyball Nations League 2023. In a Pool 6 game in Pasay City on Saturday, the reigning world champions managed a hard-fought win over the table leaders to rise to second place in the current standings on a 9-3 win-loss record and 26 points. Japan are still top of the table on 11-1 and 27.

Italy raised as many as 13 kill blocks to stop Yuki Ishikawa and his teammates on the way to an 11th win. Five of those were credited to middle blocker Gianluca Galassi. Opposite Yuri Romano led the team with three kill blocks and three aces towards a match high of 22 points, followed by outside hitter Daniele Lavia with 18 points (2 blocks, 1 ace). Captain Ishikawa was Japan’s best scorer with 21 points (3 blocks, 1 ace). Opposite Yuji Nishida added another 20 (3 aces, 1 block).

Inspired by the incredible atmosphere on the stands, Italy and Japan put up a spectacular battle throughout the first set, when the gap hardly ever exceeded a point. Italy were the first to reach set point, but Japan turned it around to push it deep into overtime. The Europeans denied three Japanese opportunities to close the set before an ace by Yuri Romano and a monster block by Daniele Lavia brought in the two consecutive break points needed for a 29-27 close. Helped by three aces from Yuji Nishida, Japan were well in control for most of the second set to reach set point at 24-21. After Italy sided out on setter Simone Giannelli’s kill on two, their 21-year-old sub-in outside Tommaso Rinaldi nailed three consecutive spikes to turn the score around and push the set to overtime again. The Asians saved the first two Italian set points, but on the third, Rinaldi again closed it off at 28-26.

Italy had control over the scoreboard during the first half of the third set, opening a gap as wide as four points at 11-7. Spearheaded by outside Tatsunori Otsuka, Japan came back and took their turn in the lead, piling up a three-point advantage at 22-19 before reaching set point at 24-22. On their second opportunity to close the set, Yuki Ishikawa did so with a block-out shot for 25-23. Leading through most of the fourth set, Japan seemed to be zooming in on a fifth-set decider. After 19-16, however, Italy went on a six-point run, crowned by a Romano ace and highlighted by three Gianluca Galassi monster blocks, to step in front. After another three points in row, the last two of which also came from Galassi monster blocks, the Europeans celebrated the victory at 25-20.

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