Italy defeated the defending champion U.S. team on Sunday to win the gold medal in women’s volleyball at the Paris Olympics.
The win was in straight sets, 25-18, 25-20, 25-17. The Italian team had an impressive tournament, losing only one set throughout.
This is Italy’s first medal in women’s volleyball at the Olympics, marking a big achievement for the top-ranked team. For the U.S., it’s a disappointing end after their first Olympic title in Tokyo. Italy’s best previous finish was fifth place.
The match took place at the South Paris Arena, where the crowd was lively, waving Italian and U.S. flags. Fans danced and cheered as Italy secured their decisive win.
When Italy scored the final point, many players fell to the court and then hugged each other in excitement. They lifted veteran Monica De Gennaro, a 37-year-old four-time Olympian, into the air.
The U.S. led 6-5 in the third set before Italy scored seven points in a row to go up 12-6.
The Americans managed to close the gap slightly but could not catch up. Italy finished the match with a 6-1 run, ending with a match-winning point by Paola Egonu, who scored 22 points.
The silver medal for the U.S. adds to their total, making them the most successful country in the sport with seven Olympic medals.
Italy reached the final by defeating Turkey in straight sets, while the U.S. advanced by winning a five-set match against Brazil.
U.S. coach Karch Kiraly made changes to the lineup after a five-set loss to China during the group stage. He replaced veterans Jordan Larson and Kelsey Robinson Cook with Avery Skinner and Kathryn Plummer.
This adjustment helped the team beat Serbia, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the strong Italian team and repeat as champions.
