Italvolley: Julio Velasco’s Italian Women’s Team Suffers Second Loss in the VNL

Italy, led by head coach Julio Velasco, suffered its second loss in the Volleyball Nations League. After victories over the Czech Republic and Serbia, the Italian women’s team fell to the United States in their Pool 5 match on the fourth day of competition, currently underway in Pasig City, Philippines.

The U.S. team, fielding virtually its full roster (with only Poulter absent), prevailed at the end of a hard-fought match, in which Italy nonetheless showed determination and promising signs of improvement. Thanks to this win, the U.S. moves to six wins and one loss in the overall standings, overtaking the Italian team, which now stands at five wins and two losses.

The final 3-0 score (27-25, 25-20, 25-16) only partially reflects the flow of the match. Especially in the first set, in fact, Italy held its own against its opponents, confirming the progress of a team engaged in a rebuilding process that requires time, consistency, and patience.

The second week of the VNL will conclude tomorrow at the PhilSport Arena in Pasig City with another top-level matchup: on the other side of the net will be Japan, still undefeated in the tournament. The match, scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Italian time, will be broadcast live on DAZN and VBTV. It will be another important test for an Italian team that continues to grow and pursue its goal of qualifying for the Finals in Macau.