Press release

Lima, Peru, July 31, 2011 — Italy defeated Brazil 21-25, 25-13, 25-20, 25-22 on Sunday in front of a sold-out crowd in the Eduardo Dibos Gymnasium in Lima to earn the gold medal of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Junior World Championship in Peru 2011.

Valentina Diouf led Italy with a match-high 22 points while tournament most valuable player Caterina Bosetti added 20 points in the victory. Laura Baggi added 10 points. Brazil was led by Gabriela Souza’s 16 points, followed by Ana Beatriz Correa’s 12 points. Samara Almeida charted 10 points in the loss. Italy held a 12-6 advantage in blocks and 8-6 margin in aces. Brazil committed 28 errors in the match to Italy’s 21.

Brazil secured the silver medal, and China qualified for the bronze medal.

Italy’s best previous finish in the tournament was the silver medal in 1997, their only other medal in the 16 editions of the tournament. Italy, ranked 12th in the FIVB youth and junior girls’ world rankings, did not qualify for the tournament in 2009 after a fifth-place finish in 2007. The current group was part of the eighth-place finish at the 2009 FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship.

Brazil has now medaled in 11 times and seven consecutive times while participating in all 16 editions of the biennial tournament. The current Brazil squad as a group had not lost a match in the past four years, including winning the 2009 FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship.

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

Brazil scored five of the first seven points of the opening set and went into the first technical timeout leading 8-6 behind several kills by Gabriela Souza (five points in set). Italy came back to tie the score at eight. Italy then scored the next four points behind a block and several spikes by Rosa Laura Baggi (five points in set). Italy had a 16-12 lead by the second technical timeout. After Floriana Bertone served an ace to give Italy a five-point lead at 18-13, Brazil called a timeout. The break helped, as Brazil scored the next six points to tie the game and take the lead. Samara Almeida showed hustle for Brazil by diving into a courtside advertisement to save a ball, quickly getting up, and recording the kill. Italy had five blocks in the set, compared to two for Brazil.

Determined after dropping the second, Italy scored the first four points of the second set, behind a block and a kill by Valentina Diouf (three points in set), and led 8-3 at the first technical timeout. Italy extended the lead to 16-7 by the second technical timeout, with libero Carolina Zardo making several stellar defensive plays. Caterina Bosetti (six points in set) had several thunderous spikes to ensure that Italy maintained the large lead.

Italy scored five of the first seven points of the third set, but Brazil scored the next four points to take the lead with Samara Almeida serving, and Brazil went into the first technical timeout up 8-6. After not playing in the second set, Marjorie Correa (four points in the set) returned and played well for Brazil. Brazil led 16-14 at the second technical timeout. Italy then got hot at the right time, scoring six points in a row to regain the lead, with Sara Alberti serving. Valentina Diouf (seven points in the set) had several powerful kills for Italy.

Italy again scored five of the first seven points of the fourth set, and again Brazil came back to tie the set, but Italy held on to lead 8-7 at the first technical timeout, led by Caterini Bosetti (five points in the set). The two teams frequently traded leads, and at the second technical timeout, the scoreboard read 16-15 Italy. With Brazil leading 17-16, Italy scored five points in a row, with Valentina Diouf (eight points in the set) recording several key kills and a serving ace.