The U.S. Women’s National Team faced a juggernaut. Italy, world No. 1 and Olympic gold medalists, extended their ridiculous winning streak to 27 matches by defeating the U.S. 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 28-26) in the Volleyball Nations League quarterfinals.
ITALY TOO MUCH
The U.S. started strong, jumping to an early lead in the first set. Madi Skinner's ace had them up 3-0. But Italy? They flipped the script with a timeout and a 10-4 run. That's where it changed. A Dana Rettke block gave a glimmer of hope at 12-11, but it was short-lived.
Avery Skinner was a bright spot with 11 kills and seven digs. Head coach Erik Sullivan praised the team’s growth since May, but noted, "We still have to figure out some moments where we just give the other team too much opportunity."
A FIGHT IN THE SECOND
The second set saw the U.S. capitalize on Italy’s errors to take a 13-12 lead. But Italy’s resilience was on full display with a 5-2 run, reclaiming control. A mix of Sarah Franklin’s back row attack and an Amber Igiede block turned the tide momentarily at 18-17.
