Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Associated Press
OSAKA, Japan - Azerbaijan upset the United States in five sets Thursday in the second round of the women's world volleyball championships.
The Americans split the first two sets before losing 25-19, 16-25, 25-22, 25-27, 15-13.
The U.S., which lost to Olympic champion China on Wednesday, fell to 2-3 and into fourth place in Pool F. The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals.
Azerbaijan won for the first time in five matches.
Brazil remained unbeaten, recovering from a slow start before defeating China 24-26, 20-25, 25-21, 25-16, 19-17. Jacqueline Carvalho had 20 points to lead the Brazilians, who are 5-0 in the second round.
"This match was just like a grand final," Brazil coach Ze Roberto said. "We started slow. But in the third set our serves became better, our blocking became better and we created good chances."
China also dropped to 2-3.
Russia improved to 5-0 with a 25-17, 25-18, 25-16 win over the Netherlands, while Germany swept winless Puerto Rico 25-23, 25-22, 25-22.
In Group E, defending champion Italy posted a 25-18, 25-19, 25-13 win over South Korea to improve to 4-1. Simona Rinieri-Dennis led the Italians with 14 points, and Francesca Piccinini added 13.
"The team is getting better," Rinieri-Dennis said. "But I'm not sure if we have all played at our best at the same time yet."
Cuba downed Taiwan 25-21, 25-20, 25-14.
The fifth-ranked Cubans have won the world championship three times, including twice in the 1990s. This is only the second appearance in the tournament for the 23rd-ranked Taiwanese and first since 1990.
Serbia-Montenegro continued its impressive run with a 25-15, 25-22, 25-14 win over Poland to improve to 5-0.