LLife is dreams and dreams are dreams. And Paula Soria was fulfilling her dream of making an Olympic debut with a repertoire like Liliana Fernandez by her side. With everything that they went through to be all, until the last moment in the elite 16 from Ostrava (Czech Republic), and thanks to the third place in the Stary jablonki challenger (Poland), they managed to finish the comeback in the ranking that can be called historic. With all this desire, it was not the time to go unnoticed against Victoria gotardi and Marta Menegatti. Some of the competitors they have never won together, neither at the Edmonton challenge in 2023 nor at the elite 16 in 2024. It was going to be a complicated meeting.
A start worth winning
Getting off to a good start at some Olympic Games is a blessing and even more so you can do it with Liliana Fernandez’s match connection. A block from Benidorm was going to open the ban in a match that was starting the round for them and with a hit from Lille it was already 3-1 on the scoreboard. The difference that would have continued to grow despite the Italians getting a positive three-point line would have been countered by another line completely identical to An incredible defense of Paula Soria and her subsequent attack left Gottardi / Menegatti on the ropes who called the first timeout at 7-4.
The pressure was less strong on Paula Soria than the desire to make her Olympic debut. And this is not so. I returned to the sand on the Champ de Mars where the beach volleyball court is located at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. A fight where one of the outstanding Orihuela was in defense and made the difference until the arrival of the organizational technical time. Although this break gave wings to Marta Menegatti who began to find the gaps until he left the score with maximum equality until the thirteen are even. Although that did not prevent the Spaniards from withstanding the pressure and putting a night block the difference between the two returned them confidence with 17-15. The difference seemed to not be cut until the match was tightened at the last moment. Although the fourth was magic to close the set 24-22.
Italy’s reaction and response in the tiebreaker
The first set was painful. The Italians were injured and wanted to force a tie-break the sooner the better. And it happened through a start like the one they made by putting 0-4 on the scoreboard, with Marta Menegatti pulling the cart and forcing the Spanish couple to stop the match. A break that seemed to take advantage of when the score was 3-6, but it was just a mirage. Soon Victoria gotardi was going to join at the pace set by her partner, the most seasoned player in the team, and they were going to do the second set in the same. They flew until they left the score in a difficult segment where it was 9-21. The second set they will have to forget about soon because they still have the final set.
The start was impeccable. Paola Soria caught all the balls in defense and on top with Liliana Fernandes who was immeasurable in the block. A game in which the quality of Victoria Gottardi and the experience of Marta Menegatti managed to stop perfectly despite the 3-6 score that puts the Italians in trouble. The key was obvious: look for Victoria gotardi. I was more nervous, though resolute. He had to throw a coin in the air and figure out which way it fell. This combined with the experience of Liliana Fernandez who threw the team behind her and Paula Soria who did not wrinkle at the decisive moments came to put a difference of three on the scoreboard. And a termine pass in the tiebreaker, which ended 14-16.
Liliana Fernandez with her arms celebrates the victory over Victoria gotardi and Marta Menegatti in Paris 2024
With this result, the Spaniards have everything in front of them to reach the knockout stages. The first and second will pass directly, the top two thirds will also have to and the remaining fourth third will have to look for the two remaining places in the payback. The end allows them to rise while continuing to advance in the frame and start on the right foot. A result that must be approved next Tuesday, July 30 at 21: 00 against the best in the world: Ana Patricia and Duda.
