Fukuoka, Japan, October 2, 2019 – Matthew Anderson and Aaron Russell scored 16 points each as the United States rallied to a 3-1 (19-25, 25-19, 25-14, 25-19) victory over Italy at the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup on Wednesday.
USA coach John Speraw: "We are pleased with the win. The first two matches here have been difficult. We had better defence in the first set today. Italy defended well at the net with their blocks. We responded really well after the first set. Micah (Christenson) and Matt (Anderson) served well. Russell also had a great service game. I have an aggressive service philosophy to hit it as hard as you can."
USA captain Micah Christenson: "We served and passed well today. We were comfortable with our offence and blocking and defence. Every player had a run that made a difference. It was fun to play good volleyball against a team like Italy. David Smith is good at everything and provides stability and comfort on the court for us."
Italy coach Gianlorenzo Blengini: "We have two defeats in a row. Our players have not had much time together. Some players are not in the lineup. We have to make corrections as we play in this competition. They played well. Their service disrupted us and made it tough for us."
Italy player Gabriele Nelli: "We went in cautiously today but faced difficulties. We went in attacking but their defence was good. We would like to continue to improve in this tournament."
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