SIS Roma prove title credentials with victory against title-holders Ekipe

January 15, 2023

Lucrezia Cergol (Trieste) is the league's third top goal-scorer. (Photo: Trieste)

Matchday nine of the women’s Italian A1 was an excellent day to stay at home for the four teams in action, all of whom secured victories.

SIS have opened up a six point lead at the top of the women’s A1 in Italy, thanks to a hard-earned 10-5 victory over Ekipe Orizzonte. Marco Capanna’s side have now beaten Plebiscito and Ekipe so far this season, emphasising that they can now be considered favourites for the title.

Meanwhile, Venezia-based Trieste are up to fourth, with Lucrezia Cergol staring in a 14-9 victory over stragglers, Bologna. Bogliasco beat Florentia 9-3, and Como climb further up the division with a 13-8 win over Brizz.

Plebiscito just about made it through their Euro Cup group to progress to the quarter-finals of that competition. They were absent this weekend, but will face a tough trip to Rapallo on Wednesday.

SIS Roma 10 – 5 Ekipe Orizzonte (4-2, 1-1, 3-2, 2-0)

Roma: E. Eichelberger, l. Papi, G. Galardi 2, S. Carosi, S. Giustini 2, C. Ranalli, D. Picozzi 1, C.Tabani 1, C. Nardini 1, L. Di Claudio 1, A. Cocchiere 1, A. Andrews, G. Gabani

Ekipe: L, Celona, B. Halligan 1, T. Lombardo, G. Viacava, V. Gant, D. Bettini, V. Palmieri 1, C. Marletta, G. Gagliardi, A. Williams, A. Longo, M. Leone 3, A. Condorelli

SIS Roma have cemented their place at the top of the table with a extremely impressive 10-5 victory over reigning champions, Ekipe Orizzonte.

Roma is known for its sublime attacking prowess, but it was their fierce defence that arguably won Marco Capanna’s side all three points.

Roma had the better of the play in the first, and two goals in less than a minute from the Setterosa’s Sofia Giustini propelled the Romans to a 4-2 lead.

While there the status quo was kept in the second quarter, with both teams finding a single score each (Andrews for Roma, Morena Leone for Ekipe), the visitors missed two golden opportunities to get back into the match, with two of Orizzonte’s best scorers, Claudia Marletta and Alice Williams, both missing penalties, striking the post on both occasions.

Martina Miceli’s team did eventually find the two goals they needed to reach a parity in the third quarter (4-4), but then three back-to-back strikes from Galardi, Nardini and Picozzi for Roma swung the momentum back with the hosts.

The tussle spilt over into the last eight minutes, but Roma held firm, and added two extra-player scores (Tabani and Cocchiere) to gift wrap a special day for currently the best team in Italy.

The Romans are now on a nine game winning streak in the league; Ekipe, on the other hand, have now suffered a second defeat of their season.

Pallanuoto Trieste 14 – 9 RN Bologna (4-3, 1-0, 4-4, 5-2)

Trieste: F. Sparano, D. Vomastkova, E. De March 1, E. Splatter, G. Marussi 1, L. Cergol 5,G. Klatowski 2, F. Colletta 2, B. Bozzetta, J. Vukovic 2, I. Riccioli, R. Santapaola, S. Ingannamorte

Bologna: O. Sesena, A. Repetto 2, V. Perna 1, R. Lekness 1, A. Mazzia, L. Redaelli, C. Morselli, M. Lepore, M. Marchetti 1, F. De Vincentiis 1, E. Altamura 3, F. Toth, M. Allotta

Trieste beat Bologna 14-9 this weekend, a victory that sees Paolo Zizza’s side move up to fourth in the Italian A1.

Five goals from Lucrezia Cergol, helped by scores from a support cast of Jelena Vukovic, Giorgia Klatowski and Francesca Colleta, secured the victory for the Pink Hats.

The first half was close, but Trieste had their noses ahead by two scores (5-3). The hosts kept adding to their tally, but Bologna stayed with them all the way until Serb Jelena Vukovic gave her side breathing space (9-6).

From there, the pattern of the game continued, but Bologna’s attempts to chip away at the Trieste lead was in vain.

Bologna are firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, three points behind the next closest team, Brizz.

Bogliasco 1951 9 – 3 RN Florentia (3-2, 2-0, 2-0, 2-1)

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

Florentia: C. Banchelli, M. Pantani, L. Lepore, S. Cordovani, G. Gasparri 1, E. Capaccioli, L. Nesti, B. Mugnai, M. Osti, B. Merli 1, I. Landi 1, A. Gattini, G. Pelligrino

A blank scorecard in defence for Bogliasco in the middle two quarters against Florentia guaranteed a third win of the season for Mario Sinatra’s team.

Putting an end to a five-game innings without picking up points, the Ligurians were well in control throughout the contest. The result now sees them go above Florentia – who look miles away from matching their fifth place finish from last campaign.

The centre-forward summer signing from Vela Nuoto, Anastasia Riccio, scored a brace in the match, as did their oldest player, 25-year-old Rosa Rogondino.

The result is a disappointing one for Florentia, who were looking to build on their dramatic 7-6 win over Como last weekend.

Como Nuoto 13 – 8 Brizz Nuoto (5-3, 4-2, 3-1, 1-2)

Como: G. Frassinelli, M. Romano, M. Fisco 2, J. Tedesco 5, E. Borg, A. Giraldo 1, R. Bianchi 1, A. Iannarelli 2, B. Romano, G. Lanzoni 2, A. Cassano, A. Radaelli, A. Volpato

Brizz: H. Santapaola, F. Sapienza 2, A. Vitaliano, N. Sasover, A. Arcidiacono, M. Spampinato 1, C. Cappello, I. Pane, G. Pastanella, V. Santoro 1, M. Giuffrida, A. Milicevic 4, F. Paladino

Andrea Pisano’s Como have defeated Brizz 13-8 in an imperative game for the team from Lombardy, which takes them up to sixth in the league.

Centre-forward, Jamila Tedesco, spearheaded the Como attack, putting five goals past Helga Santapaola in the Brizz net. Alessia Iannarelli, who joined in the summer from SIS Roma, weighed in with two scores.

Como were narrowly defeated last weekend against Florentia, but now carry a bit of momentum, with two wins in three games. But they face a tough run of upcoming games. Brizz, on the other hand, prepares for a must-win game against Bogliasco next week.