Brunetti Castel Goffredo keeps on winning. The team trained by coach Alfonso LAGHEZZA clinched the 19th Italian title of their history the sixth in a row beating 4-1 in both the legs of the finals Polisportiva Bagnolese Panino LAB.
In the first away match the defending champions started in the best way. Spain’s Maria XIAO defeated 3-0 Veronica MOSCONI and Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS prevailed 3-0 over defender and compatriot Alina ZAHARIA. Tian JING narrowed the gap leaving only one game to Nicole ARLIA but this was the only point of the local players. In the last two singles SZOCS and XIAO comeback against MOSCONI and JING allowing to Castel Goffredo to get over the line.
In the second leg played at home SZOCS accounted for JING struggling a lot especially in the second game and ZAHARIA put Bagnolese back on track against MONFARDINI. Also the following three singles ended in straight games and all went in favor of the local team thanks to the double victory of XIAO over MOSCONI and JING and to the one of SZOCS forced by ZAHARIA to fight above all in the first game.
“It was not easy” explains coach LAGHEZZA “as it was not in the first leg even if Bagnolese did not have the Russian Olga VOROBEVA. Our girls played very well and confirmed their status. We are very satisfied. We could count on two very competitive athletes as Bernadette SZOCS and Maria XIAO. They are also good friends and this aspect helped to create a good atmosphere within the group and to allow us to face difficult moments in the right way. It has been a long journey and we improved match after match. For young talents Gaia MONFARDINI and Nicole ARLIA this season was meant to be an opportunity to gain experience. On some occasions they played better on others worse. Time is on their side and from next season we will expect something more from them. Both had to learn so as not to repeat the same mistakes in the future’.
Second leg: Brunetti Castel Goffredo – Polisportiva Bagnolese Panino LAB 4-1
Bernadette SZOCS – Tian JING 3-0 (11-7 15-13 11-6)
Gaia MONFARDINI – Alina ZAHARIA 0-3 (3-11 7-11 3-11)
Maria XIAO – Veronica MOSCONI 3-0 (11-6 11-4 11-6)
Bernadette SZOCS – Alina ZAHARIA 3-0 (19-17 11-7 11-5)
Maria XIAO – Tian JING 3-0 (11-4 11-7 11-9)
First leg: Polisportiva Bagnolese Panino LAB – Brunetti Castel Goffredo 1-4
Veronica MOSCONI – Maria XIAO 0-3 (3-11 7-11 8-11)
Alina ZAHARIA – Bernadette SZOCS 0-3 (9-11 7-11 8-11)
Tian JING – Nicole ARLIA 3-1 (11-5 11-6 9-11 11-6)
Veronica MOSCONI – Bernadette SZOCS 2-3 (11-5 10-12 13-11 3-11 7-11)
Tian JING – Maria XIAO 1-3 (11-4 7-11 7-11 6-11)
