Ruthless start to the women’s A1 season by Italy’s elite clubs

October 23, 2022

Photo: Pallanuoto Rapallo

There were some big victories for the top teams on the opening day of the Women’s A1 in Italy.

Ekipe Orizzonte smashed Florentia 21-2, while Plebiscito were two minutes away from preventing Como from scoring. The result was 14-1. SIS Roma might have been concerned about Trieste, but a strong attacking performance handed them a 17-9 opening day victory.

Elsewhere, Rapallo marked their return to Italy’s top flight with a deserved victory over Bologna. Unlike Rapallo, Brizz couldn’t secure the three points they yearned for against Bogliasco.

Ekipe Orizzonte 21 – 2 RN Florentia (6-0, 5-0, 5-1, 5-1,)

Ekipe: L. Celona, B. Halligan 3, C. Grasso 1, G. Viacava 2, V. Gant 2, D. Bettini 4, V. Palmieri 1, T. Lombardo 1, G. Gagliardi 1, A. Williams 1, S. Moschetti 2, M. Leone, G. Condorelli

Florentia: C. Banchelli, C. Barbieri, L. Lepore 1, S. Cordovani, G. Gasparri, N. Vittori, L. Nesta, B. Mugani. B. Merli, I. Landi

Ekipe Orizzonte head coach will have enjoyed her birthday as she saw her team win its opening match against Florentia with a score of 21-2.

At halftime, the defending champions had a 11-0 lead and were completely dominating their Florence opponents. Florentia only fielded ten players for the match.

Dafne Bettini scored four times in the match, while Bronte Halligan (3), Morena Leone (3), Giulia Viacava (2), Veronica Gant (2) and Sofia Moschetti (2) were all multi-scorers.

Plebiscito Padova 14 – 1 Como Nuoto (5-0, 1-0, 4-0, 4-1)

Padova: L. Teani, L. Barzon 1, V. Valyi 2, G. Citino 2, E. Queirolo 2, A. Casson, A. Millo, S. Dario 1, H. McKelvey 2, C. Meggitato, S. Centanni 1, B. Cassara C. Giacon,

Como: F. Frassinelli, F. Cattaneo, M. Fisco, J. Tedesco 1, E. Borg, A. Giraldo, R. Bianchi, A. Iannarelli, B. Romano, G. Lanzoni, A. Cassano, A. Radaelli, A.Volapto

In the opening game of the season, Stefano Posterivo’s Plebiscito dominated Como, with the hosts hardly threatening to score. Plebiscito’s 6-0 halftime lead was scored by six different players: Alessia Millo, Sara Centanni, Elisa Queirolo, Hayley McKelvey, Sara Dario, and Vanda Valyi.

McKelvey and Valyi, making their first appearances, each scored another goal in the second half. Andrea Pisano’s team did not score until Jamila Tedesco netted with 2:53 remaining in the fourth quarter.

SIS Roma 17 – 9 Pallanuoto Trieste (6-4, 3-0, 4-2, 4-3)

Roma: E. Eichelberger, G. Galardi 2, S. Carosi 2, S. Giustini 2, C. Ranalli, D. Picozzi 3, C. Tabani 2, C. nardini 2, L. Di Claudio, A.Cocchiere 2, A. Andrews 2, G. Galbani

Trieste: F. Sparano, D. Vomastkova, E. De March 2, E. Sbalettero 1, G. Marussi, L. Cergol G. Klatowski 3, F. Colletta, G. Zizza, J. Vukovic 1, I. Ricciolo 1, R. Santapaola, S. Ingannamorte

This weekend, Roma had arguably the most difficult assignment of the top teams, but they were more than capable of defeating a vastly improved Trieste side.

In an open game, Marco Capanna’s squad performed admirably in front of goal. Domitilla Picozzi scored a hat-trick while her Setterosa colleagues, Giuditta Galardi, Sofia Giustini, and Chiara Tabani, scored two goals apiece. Summer signing Abby Andrews hit two scores.

RN Bologna 5 – 11 Rapallo Pallanuoto (0-4, 2-2, 1-2, 2-3)

Bologna: O. Sesena, A. Repetto, V. Perna, R. Lekness, A. Musso 1, C. Morselli 1, M. Lepore 1, M. Marchetti, F. De Vincentiis, E. Altamura, F. Toth, M. Allotta

Rapallo: S. Caso, N. Zanetta 2, U. Gitto 2, I. Rossi, D. Carrasco Leyva 1, L. Vanelo, G. Gnetti, B. Cabona 1, S. Costa, G. Cerliani, R. Bianconi, G. Apilongo

Rapallo’s return to the women’s A1 in Italy began with a well-deserved 11-5 road victory over RN Bologna. Usrula Gitto, Daniuska Carrasco Leyva, Roberta Bianconi, and Gaia Apilongo scored for the 2013 champions in the opening eight minutes to give them a 4-0 lead.

After a terrible start, Andrea Posterivo’s team regained their footing, but were unable to find the goals or momentum necessary to overcome the deficit.

Gaia Apilongo scored three goals for Rapallo in the match, while two summer signings, Nicole Zanetta and Roberta Bianconi, each scored twice.

Brizz nuoto 9 – 12 Bogliasco 1951 (3-4, 1-2, 3-2, 2-4)

Brizz: H. Santapaola, F. Sapienza 1, A. Vitaliano, A. Milicevic 3, A. Arcidiacono, M. Spampinato, C. Cappello 1, I. Pane, A. Mascari 1, V. Santoro, M. Giuffrida 3, F. Paladino

Bogliasco: V. Uccella, A. Rccio, P. Di Maria 2, G. Cuzzupe 2, A. Mauceri, G. Millo 3, B. Rosta, R. Rogondino 2, M. Paganello 2, G. Cavallini, M. Carpaento, D. Spampinato 1, M. Oberti

Brizz couldn’t secure a dream start t life in the Italian A1, falling to Mario Sinatra’s Bogliasco 1951 on their A1 debut.

Bogliasco came from behind in the first period to lead 4-3 at the end of the quarter, but two goals at the end of the first half from Rosa Rogodino and Paola Di Maria gave them a two-goal lead for the first time in the game (6-4).

To Brizz’s credit, they never allowed Bogliasco to pull away, equalising in the third with goals by Ana Milicevic and Marta Giuffrida.

Giulia Millo scored twice in the third quarter, and then Giulia Millo and Giulia Paganello scored back-to-back goals early in the fourth quarter to give Bogliasco a crucial three-goal lead that they never surrendered.