BERLIN — The gold medal match of the 2002 Women's Volleyball World Championships boiled down to too much Elisa Togut and not enough Keba Phipps.
Togut scored a match-high 32 points as Italy defeated the United States, 3-2, Sunday in front of a sellout crowd of 9,000 fans at Max-Schmelling- Halle. The Americans played the match without Phipps (Lakewood, Calif./Foppapedretti Bergamo), who suffered an eye injury in practice Saturday and was unable to suit up for Sunday's match.
"When I realized that Phipps did not play, I first of all was quite happy, not because she was injured but because she is a very good player," said Italian head coach Marco Bonitta. "At first it was a disadvantage, however, because we had prepared for a game with her. But at the end of the match it was an advantage, because she is a very experienced player."
Even without Phipps in the lineup, the United States found itself tied with Italy, 9-9, in the fifth and deciding set of the match. That's when Togut took control, powering home three straight winners to give Italy the lead for good. Another Togut kill ended the match and Team USA's 10-match winning streak in the tournament. After the match, she was honored as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
In all, Togut ripped 30 kills in the 18-25, 25-18, 25-16, 22-25, 15-11 victory to guide Italy to its first-ever Women's World Championship. The team's highest finish before this year was a fifth place at the 1998 World Championships in Japan.
"I congratulate the U.S. team; they showed great strength although they were missing a very important player," Bonitta added. "I think our victory was deserved and important. My players were very nervous in the first set and made many unforced errors. They improved at the beginning of the second set."
Anna Vania Mello (nine kills, four blocks, one service ace) and Francesca Piccinini (10 kills, three blocks, one ace) each scored 14 points and Simona Rinieri added 12 points on nine kills and three blocks in the win. As a team, Italy outblocked the United States, 14-12, the first team to do so in the tournament.
"We made the decision that she would not play (today) and it was the right decision,' said Team USA head coach Toshi Yoshida. "The team played well without her, but naturally she was missed.' Phipps, who was averaging 12.3 points and 2.1 blocks per match, was replaced in lineup by team captain Tara Cross-Battle (Houston, Texas/Long Beach State). Cross-Battle scored six points on Sunday on five kills and one block.
Tayyiba Haneef (Laguna Hills, Calif./Long Beach State) led the United States with 21 points on 21 kills as the team equaled its best-ever finish at a World Championship (second in 1967).
"Italy deserved this victory because they showed a great performance and have very good players at all positions,' Yoshida added. "My team played a good tournament, but today Italy was the better team. We shall learn from that experience. We kept fighting and I am proud that my team came so far.'
Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif./Hawaii) scored 15 points on 10 kills, four blocks and one ace and Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah/Stanford) had 14 points on 12 kills, one block and one ace as Team USA finished the season with a record of 17-18 overall. Not bad considering the team was 7- 17 to start the tournament.