Gottardi/Orsi Toth 🇮🇹 vs. Donlin/Denaburg 🇺🇸 | Beach World Championships - Adelaide 2025 - Pool Play

So we're away here on court three in Pool I at the Beach Volleyball World Championships. Damian Schumann with you here for this one. It's the ninth seeds from Italy. Valentina Gattardi and Reko Ossi Toth taking on the 16th seeds who are undefeated so far in the pool. Lexi Denenberg and Julia Donlan. Italy come up with the first defensive playoff. A little bit of a wayward pass. Short serve. That's really well dealt with. Gotta be really delicate with all your momentum going forward towards the net, not to overpass that ball, but you also don't want to jag it back. That's a pretty good short pass, maybe a fraction tight if I was being harsh. Solid, solid side out off a tough serve. I mentioned in the pre-match, Italy, the shock loss to New Zealand based on the world rankings. That was something that not too many people saw coming. 18-16 in the third set. So you never know whether all this will come down to pool, not pool play, point percentage. Monserrat, Monserrat. Set ratio, all those sorts of things starting to become important and the players will have that in the back of their head but of course they can't afford to think about that. They just need to concentrate on doing what they can just to win the game. Winning the game, that is the order of the day. I don't want to start thinking about anything else apart from that, as Valentina Gattardi, one of the best servers in the world, does what she does best, coming in with that really rigid, indoor-like sort of styled float serve. And I love to see it. It's gone out of fashion a little bit recently, of course, with Laura Ludwig. Winning the World Championships and an Olympic gold medal. People all around the world, as they do, copied her with good reason. But again, good to see Valentina Gattardi, who statistically is the most aggressive server in the world on the women's side, using a little bit more of a traditional run-up with the momentum coming through the ball. And that's a nice swing from the left-hander right into the deep corner. Italy looking pretty focused, looking pretty sharp early. Pass from Donlon. Finds a way through the seam. Very nicely done. I'm on fire and all. A bit of pressure from the serves at the moment, but dealing with it well. Good pass. Orsi Toth comes in and that's a really neutral arm swing. That left hand really hard to read. Did a pretty good job there in the backcourt of staying neutral, but just no idea whether it was going to be a high line. So that's not really a cut shot. You call that almost an off-paced angle swing. That is well disguised if served. Puts Donlon on her hands and knees, and this time doesn't get the seam hit down. Wasn't really a fast enough seam hit. Denenberg is there, steadies herself, rips that ball through the middle of the court. Good transition play. Here it comes up. Scanning down the line early. No vision on the side of Italy, and that's a really easy dig for Denenberg. Absolutely nailed it, good control. Lapille just recognising the set was a little bit low on inside. And that's landed right in the back meter. Denenberg with her heart at her mouth. Watching that hit sail on, Donlan there as well, a little bit frozen in time, on the knees and then jumped up. Ecstatic that that landed in exactly where she meant it to. Even though you mean a certain shot to go in a certain direction, sometimes the volleyball gods can be cruel, especially with the swirly breeze that's been around Adelaide today. It was only a top of 17 and that temperature is dropping rapidly as the sun sets. This match will pretty much be in darkness and around 8.30 p.m. is when the sun sets in summer. Late spring here, not that you'd know it of course. Cold conditions and as fortunately Donlon just hits that two ball a little bit long. Lead back out to a three-point lead. Short float serve, so both Orsi Toth and Gotardi. Really bringing the heat from the baseline, unfortunately Gotardi with a rare error on hitting. It's always awkward when it's coming over your left shoulder. To the dark side. Jags it into the net. I love you. So Team USA, very early days, but just looking a little bit more uncomfortable having to deal with these really tough float serves that are coming over. Good accurate serve to the line. Easy dig. And that's a few times now. Where Donlon has just cranked that ball down the middle of the court in transition. So something for Gotardi, the blocker, to think about. But Orsi Toth, she didn't really hit that hard enough to justify trying to get hit through the defender. So she just needs to work that ball into that sharper angle that she did a little bit earlier. And there's the ace serve. Team USA, well done. Just hanging tough, absorbing this Italian pressure. And now we level things up at eight points apiece. That's a hard-fought couple of defensive plays. Well done, Team USA. Against the momentum. I'm finding a way to level things up. Tonight's gonna be a good night. That tonight's gonna be a good, good, good night for you and me. Guys, we said we were going to play tonight. That tonight's gonna be a good night. That tonight's gonna be a good night. That tonight's gonna be a good, good night. In attack or on the ball? In attack or on the ball, yes. In attack or on the ball, yes. You're too extreme. Close to the ball. Go! Great to be courtside with the coaches and the players and Katerina Marinus there, very experienced Italian coach, I believe she was the coach of Nikolaj and Lupo as well for a fair while, and he's helping out with a larger team, so Gotardi and Orsi Toth in good hands, that's a really good swing, ripping that ball in, that's the hit we haven't seen from Orsi Toth yet, so that just gives Donlon something to think about. Oh, and that's landed right on the baseline, so in the blink of an eye, good response from Italy after the timeout, two quick points in succession, rigid approach, short serve not all that effective, oh, it's a low inside set, and that's, well, it's an unfortunate, unfortunate set there from Denenberg. A bit low on inside, I don't think Domlin had to really just jump sideways and lose all their height. That put her in an awkward spot. Sensing that, Gotardi peeled off the net. Defensive point Italy, back out to a three-point lead and the shank serve. And I dare say Team USA will be calling their timeout immediately after dropping four points in a row. And we are one away from the technical timeout. 12-9 would be a good result for Team USA. They're in a little bit of trouble midway through this first set. Both timeouts used here in the first set, after the technical timeout, will be erased at 21 points, no holds barred. This is why we play our game from this point on, right? Alright, okay. Let's put those hands together, let's make some noise for our team. Well, pretty clear instructions there from Christopher Field. Christopher Flood, my mistake. Just saying, just concentrate on playing your game. Go back to basics so no real technical advice no real strategic advice just calling the timeout for a little bit of a reset see how they go here in the technical time and the point just before the technical timeout not the response that they wanted they're down 13-8 now no more timeouts. It'll be interesting if we get to listen to what Christopher Flood will say now after losing that whether there is a change required as we introduce our first referees Carlos Rivera Rodriguez from Puerto Rico. He's able to assist it, down on the sand, the second referee, the smiling referee as always, Vincent Rocher from France. A few battalion fans in the house for this one. Let's put our hands together! Let's put our hands together! Well, Team USA, they've got a little bit of work to do. They need to get a hold of this pass, the serving, we often talk about it, it's a real feature of the Italians game, it seems to be on tonight, a little bit of a swirly breeze around, the first job for Donlon and Denenberg here is just to get control of this first pass, a bit of a swirly breeze, a bit of a cross breeze and the way it feels now as well might be advantaging Italy even down this end which has switched ever so slightly, Italy's moving, Donlon does a really good job controlling that pass. And then swinging that ball to the open line. Very nicely done. Takes a big breath in and that's for a couple of reasons because she's feeling the pressure from the serve. She's got to do all the blocking and the running and all that sort of stuff as well. So a lot of work for blockers, especially when they're being served. Orsi Toff guides it to that open corner. Very nicely done. Gotardi did a real good job of holding her hands up early just to make sure the referee didn't call her on a carry. It might have been close from that angle. She did a really good job of making sure it wasn't a carry, but sometimes referees can make those calls. Gee, what a serve. That is unbelievable. We talk about Valentina Gotardi and her serving prowess, but Orsi Topp, she is making that ball sing out here. Yeah, that set's still not quite where Team USA want or need it. And that ball's gone out as well. So don't worry about the knuckle that goes out. Right now, the pass-set relationship isn't quite working for Team USA. And Donalyn just a little bit frustrated with that high five. I'm sure she wasn't frustrated at her partner, even though the sets aren't quite there. Just frustrated she didn't execute the knuckle, but something for Chris to think about on the beat, on the bench, which is on the beach. Great one-arm dig. That's a little bit of a momentum gatherer there for Team USA. Something to build off. So forget about set number one. That is done and dusted. Italy are going to win this set. Team USA, it's important that they just start to get their game going. They haven't dropped a match so far here in Pool I. Just need to gather and harvest a little bit of momentum for the start of this second set. Easy dig. Oh, and Guattari has just absolutely monstered Lexi Denenberg. Huge jump out of the sand, great timing, good penetration, good swing. Fortunately for Denenberg though, straight into the block of Guattari. Pass, good two ball option play. Not easy to do as a right sider to just corkscrew that ball back and Denenberg from Merritt Island, 24 years of age, made it look easy. That pass goes into the net so it's a free ball for Team USA, good communication, Denenberg takes it. Zitov is there. Oh and rips that ball into the angle so nothing soft about that hit. That wasn't controlled at all. Good neutral arm swing ripping through the ball. Spike indeed. Italy marching away with set one. Great effort on the bump set. That's a really, really good set from Denenberg under the circumstances and that is a well-earned point from Team USA. Someone just struggling. She's got the coughs at the moment. Can't quite shake the cough. Don't know if that ball went over the net. So again, these are really good moments here for Team USA, just gathering a little bit of momentum and winning some points in a row, just settling themselves, trying to feel comfortable out here in this match. They definitely feel comfortable during the tournament. They're playing some wonderful beach volleyball, but right now Italy spurred on from an upset loss against New Zealand. They're looking extra focused at the moment. Good self-cover. Two defensive points in a row. Donlon up at the net, starting to have an impact. Nicely done. Make sure you penetrate over the net, but don't grab the ball first. I have absolutely no idea what that hand signal means. We'll try and figure it out in a moment. In the end, looked like a line block. Jumbo over. Line block across the defender. 19-14 to Italy. Short serve, that is so well disguised. Little bit of assistance from the tape. What a dig. Off the hands, everything going the way of Italy. Donlon frustrated, and I don't blame her. That was, first of all, a great dig to save that. Off the net clip, she ripped that ball to the angle. That means you got to stop. And a horsey tosser just popped that up right on top of Gottardi's head. That is an extraordinary dig. Goes back to exactly the same spot on that short serve. And the no-look reverse cut shot. There's a high level of difficulty. We'll have a side three. Denneberg has executed that flawlessly. USA. Oh, good tough serve. That's much better from Team USA. Donnellan having a real go from the baseline. That's going to be really important for her in this second set to break down this Italian rhythm and pass. And again, another block. So she's blocked about four balls now in this set. In the last five or so minutes, she is just pouncing on everything that's tight. So really good signs for Team USA now going into this second set. One side out required for Italy. Four chances. And that'll do it on the service error, so Italy dominant in the first set, the two defenders, well not the two defenders, I was going to say Gotardi sprinting off the net, Dennenberg doing the same, their partners just walking over conserving some energy, set for a fascinating set too, statistics pretty even except for that big one there which is the service, service aces going the way of Italy, both Gottardi and Orsito. 4-1 and well, Donlan managed to get that one back at the end, so really important to start to get that aggressive serving going from the baseline. I'm moving to the front. Italy has taken the first set, that doesn't mean we're getting any quieter. Who's here cheering for the USA? And who's here cheering for Italy? Well, this should be a really interesting start to set number two here. Must win set for Team USA if they're to keep their clean, they have a chance to keep their... Full record, clean with three wins. Doesn't look likely after set one, but things can turn around very quickly in beach volleyball. Good five minutes worth of siding out and that mounts the pressure on Italy. One or two errors from Italy, things can turn around very, very quickly. Oh, and Gottardi has gone to absolutely try to just fist that ball straight down. She got a little bit of the tape, but she was going, well, for a highlight reel there, just trying to bounce that ball straight down. Perfect start. Again, look at that serve. That is just... This time she gets it with no net clip. Two paradise balls snapped straight down within three points. I don't know if that has ever happened. Have a look at this. This time, no mistake. And you can see the smile from Valentina Gattardi. She realises that doesn't happen all that often. Perfect pass this time. Donlon comes in. Can't quite find a way through. They'll get another chance here. That ball's going to drop in. Denenberg has to run from all the way from the baseline and finds the ball down. Team USA off the mark. A much needed, a hard-fought side out. You can see the pressure mounting on Team USA. You can see it on their faces, looking a little bit stressed. The combination of stress and focus. They're trying everything at the moment. They're not quite coming up with the answers. Donlan. Well, by her standards, her body language just looks a little bit flat at the moment. Again, she's not, well, she's not sort of, you know, throwing the toys out of the cot or doing anything like that or sulking. It's just these little subtle tells. I don't think Italy will be able to see. Still connecting as a team. She's still going for everything. Still talking. Still trying. Doing everything she can. But she's just looking like she's a little bit out of answers at the moment. What a jump set. Absolute perfection. Net touch unfortunately from Donlon as she rushed over to try to get that but any time Gotardi is jumping with that amount of force towards the net you better be paying attention. I don't blame Julia Donlon there at all. They're just jumping on that little fake jump set. Well executed Gattardi. Of course she topped with good timing and that's going to go out. And that could have been 6-2. Team USA get out of jail. I love that even after the loss to New Zealand, Gattardi and Orsi Toth are playing with a good level of focus, but also a sense of levity almost. And they're just, well, enjoying their volleyball, smiling with errors like that. Looks like they're mentally in a pretty good place after a tough loss, tough loss yesterday. That's a 3.4 game. So, Team USA, can they do something different with the serve? Maybe a high loopy one in the wind. Can they just risk some errors and go really aggressively at some sidelines? Got to side out first, of course. Big joust up at the net. Someone touched the net. Unfortunately, it was Donlon. No argument from her to the referees. And nothing going the way of Team USA at the moment. So this will make for some really interesting pool standings. If Italy are to win this game, lots of teams on two wins potentially with what's happening with the New Zealand and Canadian game. That's a good swing. Retreating blocker. Donlan just cracking that ball. Too hot to handle for Guattari. What can Dennenberg do from the baseline? Needs to start breaking down the Italian passes. And that serve going straight to Orsi Toth. That's not going to get it done. That is an extraordinary swing over on two. To be able to wrap the ball like that. That was so fast off her hand. I have no idea. Now she was able to actually hit that ball. There's no loop or arc on it. That was just a monstrous two-ball hit. Well, speaking of monstrous two-ball hits, Guattari elevating high out of the sand. Team USA are going to call their timeout. And that cut shot, unfortunately, just not quite sharp enough from Denenberg. And they're not going to call their timeout. My mistake. I thought they were about to march over. And, well, that's as good as a timeout, a service error. 5-9 end switch. Team USA stay in touch. Don Juan has looked threatening from the baseline. You just need those serves to just go away from Italy at the moment. They're just well and truly two in system. They're not having to take a step. So, I mean, Team USA, they're still serving the ball over with a good amount of float, good amount of speed, but a really good tell of whether you're actually, your serving's being effective or not is whether the opposition's actually taking a step to dig the ball. So, yes, serving a certain player is one thing and trying to keep the ball away from Gattardi is usually a good idea, Big swing, big dig. Orsi Toth squares up through the middle of the court. And the left-hander gets it done. 11-5. Starting to turn ugly now. Team USA have to do everything right from here on out if they are to have a chance. Now I think we'll see the timeout. Maybe a few points too late. Bye. Bye, USA. In my humble opinion, I think this game might already be gone at six points. Five to 11. But Team USA still in with a chance. Everything's got to go right. And it's got to go right in a hurry. Team USA coach calling for aggression just in the right places, trying not to let Italy Literally get settled. Whether it be on defense or on serve reception, Team USA looking to go after those deep corners. Can't afford to drop too many small side outs for the rest of the set. That's huge. Great swing. Julia Donlan off the left side, facing the angle, ripping that ball across her body. Brilliant swing. Better serve. Makes Orsi Toth drop down to the knee, passing in a little bit of an awkward position. And now Team USA have a chance. And Team USA take it. Julia Donlon ripping that ball. Orsi Toth unable to control it and that's a much better serve. It's just the devil's always in the detail at this level of beach volleyball. The fact that Orsi Toth had to drop down to one knee and then that pass went a little bit wide forcing Gotardi in an awkward position. That allowed Donlon to peel. Can Denenberg back it up? It won't be counted as an ace but those are the sorts of serves that yeah, might show up on the stat sheet but are very, very important. And again, Orsi Toth not having to really move or be troubled by that one. Easy pass up on two. Good side out, Italy. Tough serve. Oh, the foot kick. Well, we love to see it. Unfortunately, it just didn't quite go back in the direction of our partner, Team USA, with no answers into the tactical timeout. 7-14. Have a look at the athleticism to get the foot on it. Don't mind it. My mistake, sorry. One more point to the technical timeout. I've jumped the gun. 13 serving seven. 8.13 at the technical timeout with the service error and you don't mind a few service errors when teams are just breaking down the opposition's pass and serving a whole heap of aces like Italy are. You know the rules for this one. Well, let me see them. Italy in control. We'll be right back. Italy in control. Of course, I'm not blessed enough to be able to speak more than one language, but sometimes a picture can tell a thousand words, and just have a look at the intensity in the Italian dugout. They are looking pretty focused at the moment. Good serve. Well, the shoot play, extraordinary. It was a good serve, great pass, great set. Everything Italy touch at the moment. Turning to gold. Team USA again. They just need to maybe start taking some risks on these serves. If things continue the way they are, they're not going to win this second set or the match. So maybe just start going for aces or errors. And that's not great advice from me, but that's pretty much all I've got at the moment because Italy are in some sort of form right now. And sometimes in a long, long tournament like this, Lexi Denenberg and Julia Donlon, they're a wonderful team. Had some extraordinary results. Of course, coming off that second finish place at the Elite 16 in Newport. A fifth place before that in Rio de Janeiro, so they've definitely got what it takes to take it right up to any team in the world here at this World Championships. And just for whatever reason right now, they haven't been able to get their game going. And, well, I'll tell you what one of the big reasons is. It's just the aggressiveness from the baseline from Italy and also that perceived pressure as well and the weight of expectation. Maybe after winning the first two pool matches, maybe Denenberg and Donlon Just experiencing a little lull, feeling a little bit safe, that perhaps maybe they've done enough to make it out, of course. Who knows what's happening with the other results. It's still happening, every single point's still important here and they're not giving up. They're definitely fighting hard, don't you worry about that. Good angle swing from Donlon. It comes up. Sick angle swing. A rare highlight for Team USA. The American fans have been silenced here on Pinky Flat. And the Italian fans in full voice enjoying themselves. As their team marches four points away from taking out this match. That's a really tough serve down the middle. What a pass from Denenberg. Deserves to side out off that pass. What a set. Great play, Team USA. We'll have a side switch. And I am just always astounded at how fast Gattardi is able to just get that ball moving off her hand. Hours and hours she would have put into perfecting that technique. Tough serve, Orsi Toth deals with it pretty well and then comes in, wraps that ball, it's such a neutral arm swing, I have no idea whether she's going to play a high line, an off pace cut shot or just rip her hand through the ball quickly, that's such a neutral arm swing. Love watching her go about her work, not big angle swing, the left hand dig extraordinary. Orsi Toth take a bow, huge play from Italy, one-arm dig, sublime and then coming through absolutely crunching that ball down the middle of the court. She saved her hardest hit for the highlight reel, the Italian fans absolutely loving it. Two points away now from taking out this match. Well after a bit of a shock loss from Italy, they lost to New Zealand yesterday. They have come out and made an absolute statement. This result will send shockwaves through the rest of the draw and just let everybody know that Gattardi and Orsi Toth aren't going anywhere here in this tournament. They'll go to a match point. Don't know exactly who's going to come out on top in this pool, but a straight set victory with this sort of scoreline can only help. Help. Into the play. Eight match points. Donlon. Really good cover from Denenberg. She comes in, nobody up at the net. Little bit of a wayward set. Orsi Toth throws a hand at it, so the rally will continue. Gives it as much height as she possibly can. Puts Dolman in a really awkward position. Orsi Toth now with a little bit more poise, a little bit more control. Gets it done with a perfect high line. Congratulations to Italy. A huge comeback after a shock loss to New Zealand. And they have absolutely decimated Team USA here in Pool I. Commiserations to Julia Donlan and Lexi Denenberg.