U.S. Stifles Italy With Late Assault, To Meet Cuba In Women's Volley Semifinals

August 19, 2008 10:36 p.m. EST

Beijing, China (AHN) - The United States floundered down 2-1 midway in the game but crawled back to stun Italy in five sets 3-2 and move to the women's volleyball semifinals against Cuba Tuesday night at the Capital Indoor Stadium.

The Americans eked out a 20-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-18, 15-6 nerve-wracking win against the fancied Italians, the runners-up in Group B. The victory sets up a semifinal meeting against dangerous Cuba, which blanked Serbia early Wednesday morning 26-24, 25-19, 26-24.

China and Brazil whipped their respective foes before the U.S. rally to force the other semifinal match. The host nation thumped Russia 25-22, 27-25, 25-19 while the Brazilians waylaid the Japanese team 25-12, 25-20, 25-16.

Both semifinal matches will take place Thursday, with the Americans needing another gutsy performance to compete with the Cubans.

Cuba once blanked the U.S. in the preliminaries 25-15, 26-24, 25-17. The Cubans have lost just three sets in the tournament and were vulnerable only in their 3-2 victory over China in the group stage, where it had to rally from two sets down.

Italy, the runner-up to Brazil in Group B, came into the quarterfinal match having lost just four sets in all-a sweep at the hands of the Brazilians and a 3-1 victory over Russia in the opener.