1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 22 25 18 14 ITA 19 25 23 25 16 U.S. Women Suffer Heart-Breaking Loss to Italy in Five Sets SAPPORO, Japan (Aug. 31, 2013) – The top-ranked U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team suffered a heart-breaking 19-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-18, 16-14 loss to Italy on Aug. 31 during the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round being held in Sapporo, Japan.
Lauren Gibbemeyer eyes a point versus Italy. (FIVB photo)
Both teams were in search of their first victory in the 2013 Final Round. The U.S. dropped to 0-4 with one point, while Italy improved to 1-3 with three points. Team USA recovered from an early 7-5 deficit in the first set with a 10-1 scoring run to take a 15-8 lead en route to a 25-19 victory. The Americans came back from a 19-15 deficit in the second set to level the score at 19-all, but Italy held off the charge in winning 25-22. Team USA built a 20-14 lead over Italy in the third set and held on for a 25-23 victory. Italy sent the match into a tiebreaker as it built a 19-12 lead in the fourth set and powered to a 25-18 victory. The U.S. led 14-10 in the deciding set and thought it had won the match with a point at 14-11, but the referee called a touch and Italy went on to save four match points and finished the set with a 16-14 victory. “Today was a difficult loss,” U.S. captain Kristin Hildebrand (Orem, Utah) said. “In the fifth set, we thought we had the match at 15-11, but had a bad call from the referee. Our player didn’t touch the ball.”
Lauren Paolini (17) and Kristin Hildebrand (10) reach for a block of Italy. (USAV/Bill Kauffman photo)
“That was an extremely disappointing loss,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Our team was in a great position to win and we thought we did win on the play the referee called the other way. Then we weren’t able to close the match out after working hard to put ourselves in that position. Congratulations to Italy for staying with it and coming back from a deficit at the end.” Hildebrand led the U.S. with a team-high 18 points all on kills. Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Ill.) and Kim Hill (Portland, Ore.) added 15 points each. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) chipped in nine points with a team-high four blocks. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) and Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) tallied five points each, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) produced four points each. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) and Jenna Hagglund (West Chester, Ohio) each served an ace. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) secured a team-high 10 digs go with 11 excellent receptions on 21 errorless chances. Hill added 19 excellent receptions on 57 errorless attempts and six digs. Glass turned in 38 running sets on 147 chances as Team USA converted 34.5 percent of its attacks with a .170 hitting efficiency (59-30-171). U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly started Hildebrand and Hill at outside hitter, Gibbemeyer and Harmotto at middle blocker, Murphy at opposite and Glass at setter. Banwarth was the libero for the match.
Left: Kristin Hildebrand attacks versus Italy. Right: Christa Harmotto swings versus Italy. (FIVB photos)
Team USA held a 6-2 margin in aces as both teams produced 12 blocks. Italy managed a slim 62-59 advantage in kills and had five fewer team errors (32-27). Italy converted 38.3 percent of its attacks with a .253 hitting efficiency. Italy’s Valentina Diouf totaled a match-high 31 points and Carolina Del Pilar Costagrande added 18 points in the victory. Kim Hill attacks versus Italy. (USAV/Bill Kauffman photo)
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