Egonu leads the scoring with 12 points
The reigning Olympic and Volleyball Nations League champions, Italy, demonstrated a formidable performance, showing no signs of underestimating their opponent, Cuba, at the 2025 FIVB Women`s World Championship in Thailand. On Sunday, the Italian squad secured a convincing victory, establishing a perfect record after two matches and leading the Pool B standings in Phuket.
Italy`s star opposite, Paola Egonu, participated only in the first two sets of the game, a strategy also applied to four of her teammates. Despite limited play, Egonu topped the scoring charts with an impressive 12 points, contributing significantly to Italy`s dominant 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-16) shutout victory. Her offensive prowess was evident with a 67% success rate in spiking, complemented by two aces and two crucial kill blocks.
“Playing at your best is how you show respect to other teams. I am truly proud because in a game like that you might lose focus, but we managed to maintain our intensity from start to finish. This is what we train for, so we are very happy when we can achieve it.”
Overall, coach Julio Velasco`s Italian team showcased exceptional efficiency in offense, achieving a remarkable 57% success rate in spiking. However, Egonu was the only player to reach double-digit scores in this encounter. Middle blocker and team captain, Anna Danesi, played a key defensive role, contributing three of the team`s 13 kill blocks and one of their six aces, accumulating eight points. This matched the score of Cuba`s most prolific player, 22-year-old opposite Dezirett De La Caridad Madan.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick