MANILA, Philippines — DEFENDING champion Italy got back on track in the Women’s Volleyball Nations League with a 25-18, 25-21, 25-22 victory over Czechia on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Sarah Fahr, seeing action in the VNL for the first time this season, came up with an impressive start in the Pasig leg, leading the opening-set charge for the defending champions with six points.
The Italians bounced back from a five-set loss to Brazil over a week ago in Brasilia and improved their win-loss record to 4-1 in the FIVB’s premier annual international competition.
Ekaterina Antropova sustained her scoring touch, delivering five points in the first set and finishing with a team-high 21, with 14 coming from attacks for Italy.
Fahr wound up with 13 points, while Stella Nervini scored 12, delighting the lively midweek crowd in the event presented by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Monika Brancuska, a 21-year-old opposite spiker, had 16 points, all on attacks for Czechia, which suffered its second loss in five outings.
Skipper Michaela Mlejnkova added 11 points.
The VNL features 18 of the world’s elite volleyball nations, with the top eight advancing to the final stage set in Macau.
A rejigged USA squad blasted past the Dominican Republic, 25-20, 25-19, 25-12, in the opener on Wednesday. TMT
