Nagoya, Japan, November 8, 2006: World champions Italy began Pool E play with a business-like 3-0 victory over European rivals Poland at Nagoya Rainbow Hall on Wednesday afternoon.

The 2002 gold medal-winners, ranked fourth in the world, beat the ninth-ranked Poles 25-19, 25-22, 25-13. With the victory, Italy improved their second-round win-loss record to 3-1 while dropping Poland to 1-3.

Italy trailed in the early stages until a left-wing spike from captain Simona Rinieri put them in front for the first time at 5-4.

Crowd favourite Francesca Piccinini had early problems with the Polish block, but quickly found her attacking groove to extend Italy's lead to 8-5 at the first technical break. When Italy scored the next point to extend their advantage to 9-5, Poland called the first TO of the match.

Anna Podolec, Poland's most dangerous player in the first round, and Katarzyna Skowronska at the net displayed early warning signs to Italy, especially when Podolec sent a right-wing spike fizzing across court for a trademark winner.

The world champions seemed to be getting on top at 15-11, but a brilliant smash by Skowronska off a flat set from Belcik, followed by an attacking error from Rinieri, closed the gap to just two points.

When an ace from Poland captain Joanna Mirek left Italy with a one-point lead at 16-15, head coach Massimo Barbolini called them off for his first TO, but it could not prevent Poland from drawing level 16-16.

Both teams gave away easy points with a succession of serving errors, before Italy pulled away. A spike into the net by Mirek gave Italy set point at 24-19, and Piccinini finished it on the next point with a spike through two Polish blockers, 25-19.

With improved blocking, Poland jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the second set, only to concede four straight points to hand Italy the most slender of leads, 8-7, at the first TTO. Elisa Togut, soaring high and spiking hard, kept the scoreboard moving, and captain Rinieri pushed one over the Polish block for another well-crafted Azzurre point.

The Italians were not fully focused, though, and allowed a serve from Belcik to bounce into mid-court. When Piccinini spiked wide to give Poland a two-point lead at 11-9, Barbolini was sufficiently concerned to bring his team off.

Setters Eleonora Lo Bianco and Belcik exchanged points at the net, and the arrival of Natalia Bamber helped the Poles lead 16-14 at the second technical break.

A thundering block by Sara Anzanello on Skowronska nudged Italy ahead 17-16 and forced a Poland TO, and a second Polish TO followed shortly after when Italy led 19-16.

Skowronska brought the Poles back into it with a blistering service winner, and the Italians' frustration was highlighted when Togut reacted furiously to a point called out when she thought it had been touched.

Italy regained their composure, and Paola Paggi scored a trademark winner running round the setter to the right and spiking sharply for set point at 24-22. The erratic Podolec spiked wide and the second set was the colour blue, too, 25-22.

As always, the Poles lacked consistency, and when Skowronska fired wide at the net, Italy led 8-2 at the first technical break of the third frame.

Maria Liktoras, another Pole who excelled in the first round, denied Togut with a stunning block and then a crashing right-wing drive, but the Italians were in control 16-7 at the second TTO, which came up with a Piccinini piledriver from the left.

Togut brought victory closer with a thundering spike on the right, and the elusive Paggi maintained Italy's momentum with a series of right-wing sizzlers as Poland capitulated down the stretch.