The USA inflicted only the second defeat on Olympic champion Italy in the Volleyball Nations League, winning convincingly 3:0 (27:25, 25:20, 25:16) in a match from the tournament in Pasig City (Philippines).
The defeat can be considered somewhat of a surprise, as Julio Velasco's Italians entered the match with five wins in six games and were among the most stable teams since the start of the tournament. However, they faced almost the full USA squad, which showed significant improvement compared to the first weeks of the competition.
The first set was the most dramatic. Italy managed to catch up from behind and even reached set point at 24:23 after an excellent block by Loveth Omoruyi. In the decisive moments, however, the Americans kept their composure and turned the tide for a 27:25 win. It was this missed opportunity that seemed to break the Italians, who struggled to find solutions against their opponent's stable play in the next two sets.
After an even start to the second set, the USA gradually built up a lead and closed the set at 25:20. In the third set, the Americans dominated from the very beginning and left no doubt about their superiority, winning 25:16.
The top scorer for Italy was Adigwe with 12 points, and Omoruyi added 9. For the USA, Samedy and Kubik-Banks finished with 11 points each.
| Statistics | Italy | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
| Blocks | 6 | 8 |
| Own errors | 19 | 14 |
Fewer errors and stronger blocking proved decisive for the Americans' success. With the victory, the USA now has a record of 6 wins and 1 loss, while Italy has 5 wins and 2 defeats before their last match of the week against the undefeated team of Japan.
With this win, the USA climbed one spot and is now 6th in the world ranking, while Italy is still first, despite losing a full 16.88 points. The USA is now first in the VNL provisional standings, while "Squadra Azzurra" is fourth.
photo:volleyballworld.com
