Team Italy celebrate scoring during the volleyball men's final against Poland at the 31st FISU Summer World University Games in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)
Defending champion Italy retained the men's volleyball title after beating Poland, while China claimed bronze at the Chengdu Universiade.
CHENGDU, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion Italy swept Poland 3-0 in the final here Monday evening to retain the Universiade men's volleyball title.
Italy beat Poland 25-23, 25-18 and 28-26 in a rematch of the men's volleyball final of the Napoli Universiade in 2019, when they claimed the gold medal with a 3-2 victory.
Giulio Magalini and Lorenzo Sala had 14 points apiece for Italy and Lorenzo Cortesia added 11.
In the first set, Poland erased a 19-14 deficit to pull it back at 22-all, but Italy ran off three of the last four points to clinch the opener 25-23.
Italy jumped to a 5-1 lead in the second set and enlarged it to 19-12 before holding on to take it 25-18.
Wang Bin (top) of China spikes during the men's volleyball bronze medal match against Iran at the 31st FISU summer World University Games in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)
The third set was hotly contested and it was tied at 20-all before Italy went 23-20 up with a 3-0 run. Poland beat off five match points to make it 26-all, but a serving mistake of Kewin Michal Sasak gave Italy the sixth, which was converted by Magalini through a smash.
Earlier on Monday, China overcame Iran 25-19, 25-18 and 25-12 to reap the bronze medal.
Zhang Jingyin had a game-high 16 points for China with Li Yongzhen and Wang Bin adding 13 and 11 respectively. ■
