Numia Vero Volley Milano began their Serie A1 Fineco season with a 3-0 home victory over Il Bisonte Firenze, but required late-set composure and another decisive display from Paola Egonu to convert a competitive league-opening contest at Allianz Cloud.
Milano won 25-20, 25-22, 25-20, with Egonu named MVP after scoring 27 points. Firenze stayed level with their hosts for long spells and built early advantages in all three sets, yet Milano’s greater efficiency in the closing exchanges proved the difference.
The result gives Milano three points at the start of the 2026-27 league programme. Orefice said Firenze’s performance provided positive indications as the group continues to develop.
Egonu decides close finishes for Milano
Firenze made the brighter start to the first set. An ace from Acciarri and an Egonu attacking error helped the visitors establish a 5-2 lead, before Milano gradually found their rhythm through Egonu and Piva. Firenze remained in contention after moving ahead 12-10, but Milano’s block began to alter the set and the home side took it 25-20.
The second set again remained close deep into the closing phase. Firenze levelled at 20-20 after an Egonu error, but the Milano opposite responded with three consecutive successful attacks to take the set 25-22. The official match report said Egonu scored 10 points in that set alone.
Firenze produced their strongest spell at the beginning of the third. Cugno scored three points as the visitors opened a 5-1 lead, and they still held an 11-15 advantage after an Acciarri block. Milano, however, worked back through Lanier before edging in front at 17-16. Egonu again delivered at the critical moments, including the final ace for a 25-20 set and the straight-sets result.
Milano finished with 11 point blocks compared with Firenze’s one, according to the league report. Egonu led all scorers with 27 points, while Firenze’s Cugno returned 16. Caruso scored nine for the visitors, and the report credited her with 61% attacking efficiency.
Milano see room to improve after opening points
Milano setter Francesca Bosio said after the match that the side’s primary objective had been to secure the three points, while acknowledging that their performance had not been at its highest level. She said the team understood the areas requiring work as its season began.
Bosio also pointed to the contribution of Egonu, whose ability to take responsibility in important phases was central to the outcome. At the same time, she said Milano were building alternatives around their principal attacker rather than seeking to rely exclusively on her.
Outside hitter Khalia Lanier similarly identified scope for improvement despite the result. She said the squad needed to work on its serving, reception and defensive play, and described the match as evidence that there remained room for progression.
In analysis, Milano’s repeated recoveries may be more instructive than the straight-sets scoreline, particularly given Firenze’s report that the squad was not yet complete and some players had arrived only in the previous two weeks.
Firenze find encouragement despite defeat
Firenze coach Alessandro Orefice said his team could be satisfied with their approach in an away match against a strong opponent. He said the group had stayed in the match throughout and had produced positive technical signs, while also regretting several situations, especially in the third set, that it had not converted.
The visitors were without Valoppi and Lokhmanchuk, while the league report said several players had joined the group only during the previous two weeks. That context does not change the result, but it explains why Orefice viewed the performance as a useful early measure rather than simply a defeat.
Firenze libero Beatrice Negretti said the side’s main shortcoming had been its management of set endings. She nevertheless said the team had been able to compete point for point with Milano for extended periods. For Firenze, Negretti identified execution in this match’s set endings as an area to improve.