November 9, Nagoya: Defending champions Italy cleared another hurdle as they defeated Korea in straight sets in Pool E.
The match pit the Italians against Asian opposition for the first time in the competition, but Massimo Barbolini's team passed the test with ease as they ran out 25-18, 25-19, 25-13 winners.
Italy kept a clean sheet for the third successive match as their claim for a semi-final spot builds momentum.
Serbia and Montenegro captain Vesna Citakovic had voiced her displeasure as the Koreans requested the use of the full court to warm-up before the two teams met the previous day.
Korea repeated the tactic in Nagoya's Rainbow Hall, but Italy's Paola Paggi certainly didn't look bothered as she popped up for two early spikes.
Korea showed that they would not concede points without putting themselves in the line of fire first, and some desperate sliding defence salvaged several opening points for the Asians.
Kim Yeon-Koung and Francesca Piccinini traded flying spikes on opposite flanks, before an Elisa Togut winner took Italy into the first TTO 8-7 ahead.
Togut then added an ace for good measure, before the Italians managed to widen the gap to 16-12.
The champions were beginning to take control of the set, and a defensive mix-up among the Asians and an Anzanello spike prompted Korean coach Kim Myeong-Soo to call a time-out.
But the Italians were moving closer, and although Hwang Youn-Joo and Han Song-Yi pulled points back, Paggi soon gave her side set point.
A touch at the net by the Korean blockers took care of the rest, as Italy drew first blood.
At the start of the second set, Italian captain Simona Rinieri-Dennis thundered a drive that missed the line but almost made contact with an unsuspecting spectator.
Her defence were squeezing hard on Kim Yeon-Koung as the Korean tried to find space on the left, and soon Nadia Centoni had given Italy the lead at 8-4.
Kim got on the scoresheet soon after, but so did Rinieri-Dennis.
The Italian captain rose to smash the ball home after Kim Sa-Nee had denied her the previous point with a fantastic block, as the Europeans headed into the second TTO with a 16-12 advantage.
Hwang Youn-Joo was proving a constant threat down the right wing, as well as a useful defender all over the court, but soon Italy had set point.
Hwang dug deep to make one more diving save, but Rinieri-Dennis's tip over at the net was just outwith her reach.
Italian setter Eleonora Lo Bianco ensured a great start to the third set with a fantastic piece of skill.
With Korea's blockers moving in to cover Italian attackers down the left, the 26-year-old swivelled in a split-second to change the attack and release Paggi on the right.
If Korea's defenders were bamboozled by Lo Bianca's sleight of hand, there was more to come.
Italy surged ahead 8-2, then 12-6, as Piccinini, Centoni and the newly-introduced Martina Guiggi swarmed the Koreans with big hits.
The champions had switched gears, and there was little the Koreans could do to stop them.
Kim Se-Young snatched a point with a towering leap at the net, but soon Italy had match point as Korea served wide.
The Koreans were not ready to roll over just yet, and staved off defeat twice before eventually succumbing to yet another Italian attack at the net.
