Press release

Lima, Peru, July 27, 2011 – On the second day of the second-round of the FIVB Women´s Junior World Championship Peru 2011, Italy beat USA 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 21-25, 25-20) in Pool E at the Eduardo Dibos Gymnasium.

Italy's Valentina Diouf scored a match-high 24 points, while Caterina Bosetti had 17 points. The United States' Kelly Reeves scored a team-high 17 points, while Carly Wopat came up with 13 points. Both teams had 12 blocks and three aces, but USA committed 27 errors. Italy held a 54-49 advantage in spikes.

The victory moved Italy to 2-0 in Pool E and in the best possible situation to advance to the semifinals, which start on July 30. USA fell to 1-1 and now face a must-win situation against hosts Peru on Thursday. Both Italy and the United States are 4-1 overall in the tournament.

Live scoring, results, news and photos on FIVB Volleyball Women's Junior World Championship Peru 2011.

The U.S. scored the first four points of the opening set, prompting Italy to improve their blocking and attack, but at the first technical time out USA had an advantage of four points. Thanks to a Rosa Laura Baggi spike, Italy tied the scores at 13-13 and were three points up at the second TTO after good blocking by Valentina Diouf. USA called their second timeout at 23-20 and quickly tied the scores at 23, but Italy clinched the set after a spike mistake from Reeves.

The beginning of the second set was very tight. The match got to the first technical time out with Italy only one point ahead, and after that, both teams made many mistakes. Italy took a three-point advantage at 12-9 thanks to digs from Giulia Pisani, who had five blocking points in the game. Italy got to the second technical timeout 16-12 up and were five points ahead at 21-15. This time there was no U.S. comeback and Italy easily closed out the set.

The beginning of the third set was also tight and Italy were again a point ahead at the first TTO. But the Americans took four points in a row and found themselves three points up at 11-8, a lead they refused to relinquish. USA won the third set in 23 minutes on a serving mistake by Italian captain Rosa Laura Baggi.

USA asked for their first timeout of the fourth set trailing 4-0 after three straight points from Diouf. The Americans were still four behind at the first TTO, but pulled back to within two at 10-8 with a blocking point by Stephanie Holthus. But a Diouf spike saw Italy five points ahead at the second TTO. USA pulled back from 16-21 to 20-22, but the Americans could not score again as Italy took the match.