ITALY CLAIMS SECOND WORLD VOLLEYBALL TITLE

Summary:

• Italy defeated Turkey 3-2 in the women's volleyball world championship final, winning their second world title after 2002
• The team extended their perfect streak to 36 consecutive victories under coach Julio Velasco
• Four Italian players received individual tournament awards, with Alessia Orro named tournament MVP

Italy secured the women's volleyball world championship with a 3-2 victory over Turkey (25-22, 13-25, 26-24, 19-25, 15-8). The triumph marks their second world title, following their 2002 success.

The team maintains an unbeaten record spanning 36 consecutive matches since June 2024. Under Julio Velasco's guidance, they have won every tournament entered during this period.

Championship Match Details

The final proved tense and unpredictable. Italy narrowly won the first and third sets while suffering heavy defeats in the second and fourth. The decisive fifth set saw Italy dominate through superior blocking, limiting Turkey to eight points.

Turkey's Melissa Vargas scored 33 points, supported by strong performances from Zehra Günes and Eda Erdem. Italy's scoring was distributed among Paola Egonu (22 points), Myriam Sylla (19 points), and Kate Antropova (14 points). Sarah Fahr proved decisive with her blocking in the final set.

The opening set remained balanced until Italy rallied from a 22-21 deficit to win 25-23. Turkey dominated the second set, establishing an early 10-2 lead and winning 25-13. Such comprehensive defeats are rare for this Italian team.

Sylla sparked Italy's third-set comeback with two attacks and an ace. Despite Turkey's fightback through Vargas, Italy secured the set 26-24 following spectacular defensive plays and clutch performances from Egonu.

The fourth set mirrored the second, with Turkey taking early control (12-7, then 16-9) and winning 25-19. This forced a decisive fifth set.

Decisive Fifth Set

The tie-break began evenly before Italy established control. Fahr and Antropova's blocking gave Italy a 9-7 advantage. Four additional blocks, with Fahr prominent, sealed a 15-8 victory. Turkey failed to score effectively in the final stages.

Coach Velasco's Impact

Julio Velasco joined Italy's women's program in 2023. The 73-year-old Argentine previously led Italy's men to consecutive world titles in the 1990s during the "generation of phenomena" era.

Velasco becomes only the third coach in any sport to guide an Italian national team to consecutive Olympic and World Championship victories. Vittorio Pozzo achieved this with men's football (1936, 1938), and Ratko Rudic with men's water polo (1992, 1994).

Working with world-class players including Egonu, setter Orro, libero De Gennaro, and Sylla, Velasco has created a team capable of both dominant victories and hard-fought comebacks. The semifinal against Brazil exemplified this versatility, ending 3-2 (15-13 in the tie-break).

Team Development

The squad combines offensive power with exceptional defensive capabilities, particularly through middle blockers Fahr and captain Danesi. Velasco has managed rotations effectively, integrating young players like Stella Nervini while utilizing reserves such as Antropova, who scored 28 points against Brazil.

Apart from 38-year-old De Gennaro, the team remains young with most players at career peaks. Several new players gained experience during the Nations League preparation tournament.

Tournament Performance

Italy won their group by defeating Slovakia, Cuba, and Belgium, losing only one set. They eliminated Germany and Poland without dropping a set before facing their toughest challenges against Brazil and Turkey.

Individual honors went to Alessia Orro (tournament MVP and best setter), Anna Danesi (best middle blocker), and Monica De Gennaro (best libero). De Gennaro may retire from international competition following this success.

The victory extends Italy's dominance across all competitions since 2024, including Nations League titles, Olympic gold, and now the World Championship. This achievement establishes them as the most successful national team in recent volleyball history.