Semifinal sweeps in Surabaya revive 2019 title duel
Italy and Japan powered through straight-set semifinal wins Saturday at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U21 World Championship at JAWA POS Arena, earning a place in the gold medal match and reviving their 2019 title showdown.
- Watch the FIVB Volleyball Women’s U21 World Championship on VBTV
Italy and Japan share one of the most compelling storylines in the Women’s U21 World Championship, with their paths colliding often in medal matches. Japan’s lone crown came in 2019 in Aguascalientes, Mexico, when a team led by Mayu Ishikawa and Nichika Yamada outlasted Italy in a five-set final. Both have since become standouts on the senior national team, underlining how that generation shaped Japan’s rise.
Italy responded by winning the title in 2021 and returned to the final again in 2023, extending a run of consistency that has kept them among the most dominant programs at this level. The latest clash will mark the fourth medal meeting between the two in the last decade, following Japan’s 2019 triumph and Italy’s sweep for bronze in 2015. This time, a third world title for Italy or a second for Japan will be on the line.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNaJb7SM43x/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Italy underlined their consistency at this level with a commanding 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19) win over Brazil, marking their sixth final appearance in the age-group event. The Europeans spread the offense across five players in double figures, with Nicole Piomboni and Teresa Maria Bosso scoring 13 apiece and Merit Adigwe adding 12. Middle blockers Dalila Marchesini and Linda Manfredini chipped in 11 and 10, as setter Helena Sassolini kept the offense flowing in every rotation. Brazil struggled to keep pace, with Rebeca Borges Viana held to nine points and her teammates unable to find their range.
The Italians controlled the tempo from the start, taking the first two sets with steady side-out play and timely defense. Marchesini’s blocking and Manfredini’s presence at the net gave Italy an edge, while Piomboni and Bosso converted chances late in rallies to hold off Brazil. A 25-16 win in the opener set the tone, and the Europeans carried that momentum into a tighter second frame, edging it 25-21 on back-to-back points from Bosso.
Italy showed the same intensity in the third, as Adigwe joined Piomboni and Bosso in pounding the flanks while Marchesini closed the middle with three more blocks. Brazil tried to rally behind Rebeca, but the Italians’ depth proved decisive as they pulled away late to finish 25-19. The result booked Italy’s third consecutive trip to the final and kept alive their chase for a third world title, while Brazil now prepare for their sixth bronze medal match, seeking to continue their streak of three straight third-place finishes.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNadZ1sh5-l/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Japan kept their unbeaten record intact with a dominant 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-13) victory over Bulgaria, marking their fourth trip to the final. The Asian side relied on sharp execution and depth in attack, led by Koyumi Fukumura and Sae Omori with 13 points each and Ichiyo Ito with 12. Their speed in transition and variety in attack wore down Bulgaria, who leaned heavily on Iva Dudova’s 15 points but struggled to counter Japan’s quick combinations.
The opening set was tight until Ito fired back-to-back kills to spark a run that left Bulgaria scrambling. Japan closed it 25-17 as Dudova’s attack fell into the net, setting the tone for the rest of the match. In the second set, Bulgaria again started strong but Japan’s combinations dismantled the block, and at 24-18 the Asian side finished cleanly with a quick strike through the middle.
By the third set Japan were in full control, racing to an 18-9 lead with relentless pace and precision. Fukumura and Omori continued to pierce the block while the defense held steady, and Bulgaria had no answer. The sweep carried Japan back to the final for the first time since 2019, giving them the chance to chase only their second world title.
The results also set the stage for the bronze medal match, where Brazil and Bulgaria will meet on Sunday. Brazil, who have collected three bronze medals in this age group, return to the playoff seeking another podium finish. Bulgaria reach the playoff for the first time since 2009, when the same two nations clashed and Brazil prevailed 3-2, a result that left the Europeans just short of the podium.
The medal matches at JAWA POS Arena will feature Brazil against Bulgaria for bronze at 16:00 local time (09:00 GMT), followed by the gold medal clash between Italy and Japan at 19:00 (12:00 GMT).
In the 5th–8th playoff, Poland edged Türkiye in a five-set thriller to move into the battle for fifth place. The Poles survived a late push to win 3-2 (25-23, 19-25, 22-25, 25-18, 17-15) behind a strong net defense that produced 18 blocks and a balanced attack led by Martyna Podlaska’s 22 points. Anna Fiedorowicz and Rozalia Moszynska added 16 and 15 to give Poland the edge despite a 30-point explosion from Türkiye’s Defne Basyolcu, one of the standout scoring feats of the day.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNajxgjheHu/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
China moved into the playoff for fifth place after defeating Argentina 3-1 (25-12, 22-25, 25-21, 25-22). Li Hanyu led with 21 points, edging Argentina’s Martina Bednarek who had 18, while Zhao Zhexi and Li Chenxuan added 12 each. After cruising in the first set, China dropped the second and had to hold off Argentina’s rallies in the last two frames to secure the win and set up a meeting with Poland.
In the 9th–12th bracket, the United States recovered from dropping the first set to defeat Croatia 3-1 (26-28, 25-22, 25-16, 25-15). The Americans used a combination of power and defense, tallying 45 attacks, 15 blocks and 15 aces to take control after the tight opener. Halle Thompson scored 19 and Henley Anderson 16, with Anderson combining with Jayden Robinson and Brooke Harwood for 10 of the team’s 15 blocks. Asja Zolota paced Croatia with 15 points in the loss.
Czechia also advanced with a hard-fought 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-11) win over Thailand, setting up a ninth-place match with the Americans. Bara Rejmanova tallied 22, joined by three teammates in double figures, while Thailand’s trio of double-digit scorers could not match Czechia’s depth in the deciding set.
Serbia advanced to the 13th–14th place match after sweeping Puerto Rico 3-0 (25-11, 25-21, 25-19). The Europeans stamped their dominance early with a lopsided first set and held steady as Puerto Rico rallied late. Katarina Gagic was unstoppable at the net, recording seven blocks on the way to 17 points, while Anja Mihajlovic added 14. Puerto Rico’s Chareika Carrion Gonzalez top-scored with 15 in the losing effort.
Korea booked a place in the 13th-place match after outlasting hosts Indonesia 3-2 (22-25, 25-15, 17-25, 25-18, 15-5). The Koreans fought back from a 2-1 deficit with stronger blocking and sharper finishing, ending with 61 attacks and 10 blocks. Lee Jiyun topped the chart with 18 points, including four blocks, while Ok Gwak Seon and Shin Eunji added 16 and 14. Kim Sebeen contributed 14 as Korea rallied to dominate the final set.
Indonesia’s Junaida Santi and Pascalina Mahuze kept the hosts in contention with 19 and 16, but they could not stop the Korean surge in the tie-break.
Canada finished in 17th place with a 3-1 (25-12, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21) win over Chile. Claire Carter led all scorers with 29 points, supported by Logan King’s 21 and Elodie Lalonde’s 16, while Dominga Aylwin Debarca paced Chile with 16. After a dominant opening set, Canada stumbled late in the second but regained control in the next two frames, using stronger defense and timely serving to seal the match.
Vietnam secured 19th place with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-17) sweep of the Dominican Republic. The Southeast Asian side controlled the net with 11 blocks, five from Le Thuy Linh, while Pham Quynh Huong joined her for a combined 25 points. The Dominicans struggled to find consistency in attack and could not stop Vietnam from finishing strong in each set.
Egypt clinched 21st after defeating Tunisia 3-1 (19-25, 25-18, 25-20, 25-19). Tunisia opened with a strong attacking set, but Egypt turned the match around with tighter net defense and fewer errors. Malak Elbehiry led the winners with 16 points, while Nermine Ben Hamza scored 27 in a losing effort that kept Tunisia competitive until the end.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNZ6dyIBRcv/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Mexico closed their campaign in 23rd place with a 3-2 (16-25, 23-25, 27-25, 25-12, 15-12) reverse sweep of Algeria. The North Americans overturned a two-set deficit by rallying late in the third before dominating the fourth and edging a tense decider. Algeria’s Alida Bennour produced an astonishing 51 points, the highest tally of the day and one of the most prolific scoring performances in the history of the competition, but even that was not enough to deny Mexico, who leaned on Aylin Andrea Ravell Iglesias’ 20 points to seal the comeback.
2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U21 World Championship: full schedule
QUICK LINKS
AVC Website: click www.asianvolleyball.net
AVC Facebook: click https://www.facebook.com/avcasianvolleyball
AVC Twitter: click: www.twitter.com/AsianVolleyball
AVC Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/avcvolley/?hl=en
Mikasa Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/mikasasports_official
AVC Youtube: click: Asian Volleyball Confederation
AVC WeChat: Asian Volleyball Confederation
.