HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Vanderbilt men’s golf incoming freshman Jon Ed Steed became the latest Commodore to win a summer amateur event, as he captured medalist honors at the Magnolia Amateur at the Hattiesburg Country Club on Thursday.

Steed won the tournament with a 54-hole score of 14-under 199 with round scores of 66-68-65. He caught fire in Round 3 on Thursday, as he carded 6-under 65 in his final go-around the course in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Steed strung together five birdies on the back nine in the third round, four of which came on Holes 11-14.

The Enterprise, Alabama, native becomes the third Commodore to win an amateur tournament this season, joining sophomore Ryan Downes and incoming transfer Carlos Astiazaran. Downes earned medalist honors at the 117th Massachusetts Amateur back on July 12, while Astiazaran has won the 125th North & South Amateur and the 97th Mexican National Amateur Championship in June.

For more information and exclusive content on the Vanderbilt men’s golf team, follow @VandyMGolf on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X.

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin volleyball team has been picked to finish third in the 2025 Big Ten Volleyball Preseason Poll, announced by the Big Ten Thursday afternoon. Seniors Carter Booth and Mimi Colyer, and sophomore Charlie Fuerbringer were also named to the Big Ten Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
The Badgers are tabbed to finish third this season in the Big Ten, behind Nebraska and the reigning National Champions, Penn State. In 2024, Wisconsin finished third in the standings with Penn State and Nebraska finishing at the top of the standings. 
 
Wisconsin’s Carter Booth, Mimi Colyer and Charlie Fuerbringer have also been named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Booth, a 2024 All-Big Ten Second Team honoree, averaged 1.35 blocks per set, good for fifth-best in the Big Ten, and added 1.70 kills per set a season ago. 
 
With a season under her belt, setter Charlie Fuerbringer will lead the Badger offense once again. The 2024 Third Team All-American averaged 10.95 assists per set, fourth in the Big Ten, added 2.50 digs per set, and totaled 37 aces.
 
New to the Badgers, but not to the league, senior outside hitter Mimi Colyer adds to the Badger offense coming in with 3.97 kills per set which was eighth-best in the Big Ten, 2.19 digs per set and 0.78 blocks per set from 2024. Colyer comes to the Badgers with a plethora of experience and accolades, including three-time AVCA All-America honors.
 
The Badgers kickoff the season with the Red and White scrimmage on Saturday, August 16 at 1 p.m., and will follow with an exhibition against Notre Dame the next day at 1 p.m. at the UW Field House.
 
2025 Big Ten Volleyball Preseason Poll

1. Nebraska
2. Penn State
3. Wisconsin
4. Minnesota
5. UCLA
6. USC
7. Purdue
8. Washington
9. Illinois
10. Michigan
11. Indiana
12. Oregon
13. Ohio State
14. Michigan State
15. Northwestern
16. Maryland
17. Iowa
18. Rutgers

 
2025 Big Ten Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Allison Jacobs, MICH, Gr. OH
Julia Hanson, MINN, Sr. OH
Mckenna Wucherer, MINN, Sr., OH
HARPER MURRAY, NEB, Jr., OH
ANDI JACKSON, NEB, Jr., MB
BERGEN REILLY, NEB, Jr., S
Rebekah Allick, NEB, Sr., MB
KENNEDY MARTIN, PSU, Jr., OPP
IZZY STARCK, PSU, So., S
Gillian Grimes, PSU, Sr., L
Cheridyn Leverette, UCLA, Jr., OH
Maggie Li, UCLA, Jr., OH
Marianna Singletary, UCLA, RS-Jr., MB
Phekran Kong, UCLA, Gr., MB
Adonia Faumuina, USC, Jr., OH
Kierstyn Barton, WASH, Jr., OH
Julia Hunt, WASH, So., MB
Carter Booth, WIS, Sr., MB
Mimi Colyer, WIS, Sr., OH
Charlie Fuerbringer, So., S
 
Unanimous Selection ALL CAPS
 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the sixth-straight year, Austin Peay State University’s beach volleyball program earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Awards, announced by the AVCA earlier this week.

The Governors posted at least a 3.8 grade-point average across both the fall and spring semesters of the 2024-25 academic year, with a 3.8 GPA in the fall and a 3.84 in the spring. Additionally, APSU had 12 student-athletes selected to the dean’s list and another four who earned Athletic Director’s Honor Roll last year. The program also has posted at least a 3.0 GPA for 17-straight semesters and had all 10 of its student-athletes post at least a 3.0 GPA during the previous academic year.

“It is very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court successes during the 2024-25 season have extended to the classroom,” said AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. “The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes.”

Austin Peay’s beach volleyball team was among 1,450 collegiate and high school teams which maintained a year-long GPA of at least 3.3 to earn the honor. The Governors were one of 40 Division I beach volleyball programs to earn the award.

Overview

Felipe Perrone, playing his 14^th and last World Aquatics Championships, was clapped by his team when he scored what was really the winning goal and then was allowed to leave the pool last as a wall of honour applauded his triumphant career.

He was inspirational and scored on counter for his second goals of the match and then played the ball out to secure the gold medal to end his glittering career, full of medals and honours, including five Olympic Games for Spain and Brazil. The master — the successor to the great Manuel Estiarte — had inspired everyone in the water for the last time. He leaves a true champion and many fantastic memories.

Spain beat Hungary 15-13 with Perrone scoring the 15-12 goal with 18 seconds remaining in a match that had twists and turns, brilliant acts of bravery and skill and even a red card for the man who set up the victory, Bernat Sanahuja. He left at 3:50 in the last quarter with five goals and possibly the best player in the final.

It was the fourth crown for Spain from eight finals and now joins Hungary and Italy as four-time winners.

In the bronze-medal final, Greece was unrepentant and put Serbia to the sword with a clinical 16-7 victory. These two teams played off for fifth in 2024 and Greece was the winner there, as well. It was Greece’s fourth bronze medal to go with those of 2022, 2015 and 2005. Serbia failed to add to its four medals, which include two golds, a silver and a bronze.

In the classification 5-6 encounter, Croatia had beaten Montenegro 13-11 on day four to win the group.

In the classification 5-6 match, Croatia repeated its day-four effort with another victory over Croatia, this time 19-13 after 13-11 the first time.

In the classification 7-8 match, Italy beat United States of America 9-8 in three even quarters with only the third favouring Italy.

A Bit Of History

Singapore 2025 is the first time that three nations have taken two medals and the first time that Greece has done the double with women’s gold and men’s silver. Spain won gold and bronze and Hungary had to settle for two silver medals.

Greece women won the World Cup and World Aquatics Champion in the same year. Spain did the same by winning in April and again tonight. This is the first time this has been done at the same time.

Final Placings

1. Spain
2. Hungary
3. Greece
4. Serbia
5. Croatia
6. Montenegro
7. Italy
8. United States of America
9. Japan
10. Romania
11. Canada
12. Brazil
13. Australia
14. China
15. Singapore
16. South Africa

Awards

Most Valuable Player
Alvaro Granados (ESP)

Best Goalkeeper
Panagiotis Tzortzatos (GRE)

Highest Goal-Scorer
Reuel D’Souza (CAN) — 26

Player of the Final
Bernat Sanahuja (ESP)

Media All Star Team

Goalkeeper:
Panagiotis Tzortzatos (GRE)
Field Players:
Reuel D’Souza (CAN)
Alvaro Granados (ESP)
Yusuke Inaba (JPN)
Dusan Mandic (SRB)
Krisztian Manhercz (HUN)
Stylianos Argyropoulos (GRE)

Match Reports

Classification 1-2

Match 48, SPAIN 15 HUNGARY 13 (5-5, 2-1, 2-4, 6-3)

Spain became one of the top three nations in the world with a fourth crown in front of the biggest crowd of the tournament by far with the seating filled 20m past the goal-line at the diving pool end. Spain was ably led by outgoing superstar Felipe Perrone and the excellent shooting kills of Alvaro Granados and Bernat Sanahuja. This a match for the ages and Hungary was equal to the task, taking the lead in the third period only for Spain to overcome the hurdle.

What an amazing first quarter! Bernat Sanahuja was on fire, smouldering away with the first three goals and then Alvaro Granados with the next two for Spain. Daniel Angyal was the foil with his first and fifth goals for Hungary with Gergo Fekete, Vendel Vigvari and Marton Vamos providing the filling in the middle. They were all brilliant goals and scored with venom. A Spanish chance in the face of Kristof Csoma failed to cross the line or impress VAR. Spain produced a fraction better success in the second quarter as both teams were playing at their extreme best in Singapore. Sanahuja could be elevated to sainthood for his spectacular fourth goal to start the period, blasting the shot millimetres above Csoma’s head for 6-5. Vince Vigvari showed maturity beyond his years with a superb lob over Unai Aguirre from the top left to equalise at six. Albert Munarriz snapped in a goal off a short pass on extra with his liquid reaction. That was 1:26 and despite Hungary’s close affinity with Aguirre’s body, it could not bridge the gap by halftime. The stadium was rocking.

Gergely Burian was the spark for Hungary that was missing. He landed a goal from top right when unguarded although his shot deflected and caught the goalkeeper off guard. Hungary took two shots from wide, rebounding each time and on the second rebound Burian buried it far into the net for  the first lead of the match at 6:02 — 8-7. Vince Vigvari drilled from the deep left on extra, with a well-thought-out shot, taking his time for 9-7. Granados replied and Akos Nagy baulked three times on the right side of the pool before unleashing his left-handed missile for 10-8 at 4:02. Felipe Perrone scored an impossible goal deep right in his 14^th and last World Aquatics Championship, and competing for gold, at that. It was for 10-9 down. Hungary and then Spain went to a timeout  for no joy with Sanahuja’s shot flying high. Neither side could find a gap with the power defence and excellent goalkeepers, setting up and excellent tournament finale in the 384^th quarter.

Sanahuja, Granados and then Burian began the period with Munarriz taking it to 12-11. Granados took it to 13-11; Sanahuja was red-carded very quickly by the referee but with substitution; Unai Biel fired a missile from the airport for 14-11 at 3:10 and a series of shots and saves went to 0:51 when Adam Nagy scored. Then Perrone sniffed an opportunity for immortality when he drove, secured a penalty foul almost but blasted into goal for 15-12 at 0:18, virtua;ly the goal that made the difference. Amidst the clapping by his team-mates, Vendel Vigvari salvaged one goal on extra at 0:06. It was Perrone’s day. It was Spain’s day.

Match Heroes
Granados (21) and Sanahuja (20) with five apiece and Perrone with two (3). Aguirre in goal was sensational with 12 saves. For Hungary, Burian (13) scored three with Angyal (11) and Vendel Vigvari with two each. Marton Vamos (12) scored one. Krisztian Manhercz was scoreless today but had 14 in Singapore.

Turning Point
Spain’s near-total dominance, except for Hungary’s insurgency in the third. Perrone’s goal to secure the gold.

Stats Don’t Lie
Spain converted nine from 16 and stopped 13 of 16 on extra. Spain made five steals to four and shot 35 to 39.

Bottom Line
Spain wanted this for its captain.

Editor’s Note

The two referees for the final are no strangers to this event — Boris Margeta (SLO) and Georgios Stavridis (GRE). The pair has officiated together on this match in 2015 Kazan and 2022 Budapest. Margeta also refereed the match in 2005 Montreal, 2009 Rome, 2013 Barcelona and 2019 Gwangju — a record total of six. He has also officiated the women’s final in 2003 Barcelona, 2007 Melbourne and 2002 Budapest.

What They Said

David MARTIN (ESP) — Head Coach

On winning the World Aquatics Championships: 
“I don’t have words now, I think it’s a dream. It’s the best feeling for the team, for (Filipe) Perrone. We played very well today, we played faster in the last quarter, which was amazing. I want to give congratulations to Hungary, they had an amazing tournament and it was a great final for the fans. I’m very happy.” 

 On Spain’s campaign:
“I had a very good feeling, I don’t know what to say. I think that we deserved it after the last time and in Paris; it was very, very hard for the team, so this gold medal for us is very important.”

On what’s next:
“The next step is recovery, to holiday, some beer, and after we are thinking about the European Championship in January.” 

Felipe PERRONE (ESP) — Captain And Two Goals

On finishing his career with the title:
“It was really like a movie. I couldn’t believe it, I think even the best movies are not so organised like this (at the end) — like the last goal, winning the World Championships. I’m so, so happy and so proud of the team.

On scoring the last goal for Spain:
“I was trying the last weeks, days, months, to control my emotions, because it is hard. We were playing the final. I cannot be crying thinking that it’s the last training, the last time that I’m with these guys. That moment was just to leave it and feel that moment. Because it’s sports, it’s high-level. You need to control your emotions. But that was the moment when I really released and just and just enjoyed the moment.”

On when he cried:
“I was crying for the last six months. And every time all the guys were saying beautiful words for me. I think it’s more than the result, because now it’s easy to talk about the results, but it was so, so many years with them. I spent more time with them than with my family. For me to finish like this and have them next to me, it is really a special feeling.”

On the match:
“It wasn’t easy. Hungary played amazing, but I think our team, we really showed our capacity. As a team, we played amazing. And I think more than that, it was an amazing game for water polo. I think people who watch it just see the best and the most beautiful water polo for all.”

Alvaro GRANADOS (ESP) — Tournament Most Valuable Player

On winning the MVP award:
“A lot of feelings are coming through. It’s difficult to describe, but if I have to summarise in one word, it must be ‘proud’. I’m proud of this group of people, proud of this team, how we managed after a very difficult year to  come back and play amazing water polo. I’m super proud.”

On his team’s confidence ahead of the final and beating Hungary twice: 
“It shows how good we are and how good we play water polo, being able to beat Hungary two times. I really respect Hungary, how they play water polo, they live water polo, they are probably, if not the best, one of the best.”

Zsolt VARGA (HUN) — Head Coach

On the match: 
“We started a little bit slower than what I wished, but then we found our rhythm and our play in the second and the third quarter. In the last quarter, we lost together. Our play was a little bit down. Spain is one of the best teams in the world, if not the best. Now the best we can say.
“We have played with them two times, three times in this summer… I know very well them, and also they know very well us. There is a friendship. We respect each other, and I respect also their job and their results.”

On Hungary’s campaign: 
“It was a hard, heavy way, but also very nice, very beautiful way, what we have done against the smart teams. Step by step, the team is growing up. We have a lot of young players, and also the older players together, they made a really good team, really good relationships between the between the players, love, respect and fire. There was heart and fire. They went, and they went, and they went, until the end of the game.” 

On Hungary making both men’s and women’s finals: 
“Hungary water polo always has high expectations for results. You can say also the history of Hungarian water polo, we have a really long way tradition for water polo. There are a lot of kids playing, and we try always to find these 15 players who are the best and prepare them to win the big games.”

Vince VIGVARI (HUN) — Goal Scorer

On the match: 
“First of all, congratulations for them. Obviously, they deserved it, but I can say the same for my team. I’m super proud of every one of them. We fought until the end. Spain played better today. We didn’t manage to do the things that we wanted to do, especially to take out their important players, but they’re good players and they deserve it. 

On the final quarter: 
“Unfortunately, throughout the World Championships, it was something that we didn’t manage good – the last quarter. This is something that we can improve in – we have to work, we have to keep going, and in half a year we can show ourselves again at the Europeans, and then two years from now, we have the amazing opportunity to play at home, which we cannot wait.” 

On giving Felipe PERRONE a hug immediately after the game: 
“It’s a very ambivalent feeling, because obviously I wanted to win the final, and it’s a bit sour in the end, but I cannot describe how happy I am for him. If there was one player today who deserves it, it’s him. He knows that I love him so much, and I can’t wait to see him again in Barcelona, because I have to learn a lot more from him.

On what the water polo world will miss about PERRONE: 
“Everything. What he is known for is he’s probably one of the best leaders for Spain and for Barceloneta, for I don’t know, the last 20 years, and the fact that everyone knows about him… While being one of the best players in the world, he’s (also) an amazing person, and that’s his reputation. I think that’s worth more than all the all the medals and all the achievements throughout his career. The fact that we always talk about him, firstly, about what an amazing person he is – I think that’s wonderful.” 

Classification 3-4

Match 47, GREECE 16 SERBIA 7 (2-2, 5-0, 3-3, 6-2)

At Doha 2024, these two battled out fifth and sixth position and Greece came out the winner 15-11. More than a year later, Greece emerged with extra resolve as a medal was on the line. What a phenomenal performance! Inspired by the Greek women’s team winning the world championship the night before and supporting their men in the stands today, Greece was inspired beyond belief as the quarter scores show. Serbia was completely perplexed and four-time Olympic medallist (three-times champion) Dusan Mandic could only score  the farewell goal for 23 in total.

Greece made the early play with Nikolaos Papanikolaou swatting in a high rebound in the goalmouth. Nemanja Vico replied off the right-post position from a near pass for the equaliser. Greek captain Stylianos Argyropoulos scored from deep left and Vasilije Martinovic did the same, but from a metre out of the goal and one second from the first break buzzer. The second quarter was a bad one for Serbia as Greece had four unanswered goals on the board before Serbia went to a timeout. No joy from the shot. Evangelos Pouros lobbed from the top left at 1:57 and Greece was even further out of harm’s way at 7-2. Greece had a timeout at 0:24 after some more diligent defence and set up Konstantinos Kakaris on the left post and receive a near pass to go 8-2 ahead.

Konstantinos Genidounias did what captains do and score a penalty goal a minute into the second half. Pouros hammered one in from the top left and at 4:48, Nikola Murisic scored off the right post on extra, ending 11 minutes without adjusting the scoreboard. Pouros proved his value to the team with a third goal from deep left hand catch at 2:09 and 11-3. The bronze medal was nearly in the bag. Martinovic converted two extra-man plays inside two minutes with the second two seconds from time. Come the fourth quarter and Efstathios Kalogeropoulos lobbed from the top left and Ioannis Alafragkis needed little work to steer a cross pass to the right post on extra at 5:59. Greece used a timeout at 4:37 to earn a penalty foul for Argyropoulos to convert for 14-5. Martinovic buried his fourth with Konstantinos Gkiouvetsis and Kalogeropoulos responding for 16-6. Mandic made his final mark at 1:04 for 16-7.

Match Heroes
Kalogeropoulos (13) and Pouros (8) scored three apiece with pairs to Argyropoulos (14), Skoumpakis (6), Papanikolaou (4) and Genidounias (10). Nikolaos Gkillas did not score but finished with 13 goals. Panagiotis Tzortzatos made 11 saves in goal. For Serbia, Martinovic (14) scored four goals and Mandic one (23). Milos Cuk (13) and captain Nikola Jaksic (13) did not score today.

Turning Point
The 5-0 second quarter and 10-2 advantage before Serbia awoke.

Stats Don’t Lie
Similar results on extra with Greece converting five from 11 and Dserbia five from 10. Greece fired in both penalty attempts and made five steals to none. The shot count favoured Greece 38-30.

Bottom Line
Greece was the only team in the match it seemed. The women’s win and a touch of history helped the team across the line. Mandic being held to one goal hurt Serbia.

What They Said

Konstantinos GENIDOUNIAS (GRE) — Captain

On the match: 
“I want to say I’m happy, but the feelings are very mixed right now. We deserved something better. After those two losses against Croatia and Montenegro, we came to this pool ready for everything. And our team showed in three games, in my opinion, that we’re probably the best team here. We showed it against Italy. We showed it against Spain, coming back from a four-goal deficit and pretty much losing the game in the penalty shootout after (conceding) a goal with one second left in the game. 
“Today, I don’t know if we were that good or Serbia… you know, most of these athletes have more medals than I can count, and I understand them up to a point. We needed this more, we wanted it more, we don’t have too many medals like Serbia, so it was very important for us.”

On lessons learnt:
“One lesson, the most important lesson, is that the game doesn’t finish until the last second. We lost last year to Serbia in the last second, and now to Spain. The second most important lesson is, no matter what happens, you have to get back on your feet and fight – and that’s what we did today. 
“Not many teams, after that loss in the semis, would come back like that. But our defence was made of something, I don’t know, concrete, metal, or something. That’s what was important and gave us this push in this game.” 

On Greece’s Singapore 2025 campaign:
“Since last year, we’ve had four or five different players and a lot of new guys, inexperienced guys. The World Championships is not a sprint – it’s a marathon. It’s two weeks, ups and downs. In the beginning, we lost two games in the group stage and then came back being one of the best teams in the tournament. 
“Reflecting back, it just matters how you are in the last week. It’s what matters. You grow through the tournament and I think this team showed the most improvement out of every other team.
“I’m actually going to say to my team, third place is good, we can live with that. But it’s gold that we’re aiming for and we’re lucky that the European Championship is in six months, not in one year, so we’re aiming for that.” 

Panagiotis TZORTZATOS (GRE) — Goalkeeper and Player of the Match

On Greece’s final placing:
“I think we could do better, but this is sports. We played an amazing tournament and we deserved at least to be in the bronze medal (position). We came for the gold medal, but at least a medal is very good for us.” 

On Greece’s women’s team winning the title: 
“Congratulations to our women’s team. They were incredible. We saw the game and we were shouting at the hotel. We hope to get the same (result)… maybe next year.”

On what helped the team improve its result from Doha 2024:
“We had some experience through the Olympic Games and with some new persons in the team this year, we brought energy, so the combination of that proved that we could do better.” 

On Greece’s consistency after winning silver at the World Cup:
“It’s very important. This is the way to go until the Olympics – we want that, we want in every tournament we have the goal to bring a medal back. We hope to bring the gold some time, but the consistency is very important, so we can get a medal at the Olympics too.”

Nikola JAKSIC (SRB) — Captain

On Serbia’s performance: 
“You could see in the game that we felt not as ourselves, probably because we still hadn’t recovered from the loss to Hungary, and Greece was better. 
“They deserve to win. They played very well. (It was a) disaster, and this is the result that was supposed to be. I want to congratulate the team of Greece for the win. They deserved it. I don’t know what to say about us. I just hope that we manage to pull ourselves together, because we have the European Championships in Belgrade in five months. I don’t know what to tell you if this is not us and if we plan to play like this there, then it’s better that we don’t.”

Classification 5-6

Match 46, MONTENEGRO 13 CROATIA 19 (3-3, 3-2, 2-8, 5-6)

Croatia was a group winner and Montenegro finished second — to Croatia on day four, losing 13-11. Today was retribution day, Montenegro hoped… However, after leading three times, Montenegro could not stop the juggernaut Croatian team in the third quarter and the match fizzled as a true contest.

It was Croatia  who put the runs on the board first, Luka Bukic from the deep left. Dusan Matkovic replied on counter and Josip Vrlic found himself free  at four metres on extra for 2-1. Balsa Vuckovic and Jovan Vujovic switched the leader to Montenegro. With three seconds left on the clock, Konstantin Kharkov levelled with his awesome left arm. Ante Vukecevic converted extra to start the second quarter and give Croatia the advantage. Duro Radovic (penalty) and Rino Buric (extra) swapped goals. Strahinja Rasovic and Dusan Banicevic swung the pendulum the other way as Montenegro went to halftime 6-5 with those two extra-man plays.

Marko Zuvela scored twice, on penalty and wide right gave Croatia the ascendancy. Bukic gained his second from deep left and it was 8-6. Filip Gardasevic brought up his 13^th goal in Singapore on penalty and Banicevic received the ball at the left post for 8-8. Kharkov sucked the breath out of our bodies again when he scored twice from the right with the second switching his arm’s position to an inside line. Bukic and Loren Fatovic, for his 13^th in total, and Zuvela shot his third goal from the top at 0:34 and Croatia suddenly had the margin at five. Dmitrii Kholod for Montenegro; Bukic for Croatia and Vuckovic from the left post for 10-14 was a strong start to the fourth period. Zuvela scored from wide left and from the top for a six-goal differential. Kholod; Mathias Biljaka on extra; Gardasevic from a six-metre foul; Zvonimir Butic from deep right; Gardasevic on a cross pass and Vukecevic finished the trading at 0:30 for 19-13.

Match Heroes
Croatia’s Zuvela (14) with five goals, Bukic (16) with four, Kharkov (13) with three and Butic (12) and Fatovic (14) with one each. For Montenegro, Gardasevic (13) scored three with pairs to Kholod (9), Banicevic (7) and Vuckovic (8). Duro Radovic scored one for 10.

Turning Point
The five Croatian goals at the end of the third quarter that took the score for 8-8 to 13-8.

Stats Don’t Lie
Croatia converted eight from 13 on extra and stopped seven from 12 on penalty. Montenegro scored twice from the penalty line and Croatia once. Croatia made six steals to five and lost out on total shots 35-33.

Bottom Line
Croatia made sure of its dominance over Montenegro with a second win, with a bigger margin.

What He Said

Marko ZUVELA (CRO) — Five Goals

On the team’s overall performance: 
“We are still in a bad (place) because of the loss in the quarterfinals against Hungary, but we are going home with our heads up. We gave our best. We had five wins in this tournament, one loss, and we can say except for that quarterfinal game, though that’s the most important game, we played good. We won against Greece, Montenegro twice, China and the USA. The last two games were just for the country, for ourselves, to elevate our game and prepare for the European Championships in Belgrade in January.”

On positives and areas for improvement:
“Our defence was good, especially in the group, and today we were offensively very good, especially in the second half. 
“But the defence is the most important part of the game, and against Hungary, that was the worst part of our game. That’s why we lost. But now Hungary is in the final. They won against Serbia, so it’s not a coincidence. They play very good, and we’ll see who will win, Hungary or Spain. But Hungary played very good at this tournament, and we can say that we lost to the better opponent that day in the quarterfinals.”

On the difference between the World Championships and the Olympics:
“The Olympics has that special feeling. It’s every four years, it’s the best athletes in the world in one village. You see some players that you watch on TV when you’re a kid and that’s special. Just going to it has a very special meaning. Winning the silver medal, I mean, everybody wanted the gold, but winning silver is also a great accomplishment. We’re looking forward to the next tournament, and we’ll try to do our best and win the medal in the next championship.”

Classification 7-8

Match 45, ITALY 9 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 8 (3-3, 2-1, 2-2, 2-2)

This was a clash between the silver-medal-winning Italians from Doha 2024 and Paris Olympic bronze medallist United States of America. Both had points to prove in the lower play-off and it started with a 3-3 first quarter. Ryder Dodd scored twice for USA, either side of an Edoardo di Somma shot from the top right. Alessandro Velotto and Francesco Cassia returned the favour and took the lead with Hannes Daube finishing the period for 3-3 on extra. In the second quarter, both teams squeezed their defences with Filipo Ferrero netting twice for 5-3 before Chase Dodd, Ryder Dodd’s older brother, rifled in a shot from the left-hand-catch position with his right arm. It was 5-4 at 4:31. The goalkeepers came into their own in the latter half of the quarter as no goals were scored.

Italy went further ahead through Francesco Condemi on penalty a minute into the third quarter and two minutes later, Italy called for a break, mainly to rest players, although an extra-player opportunity was on the cards. It meant nothing to the scoreboard. In fact, the next goal came from USA via Dylan Woodhead, dragging down a cross pass to the left-post position. Lorenzo Bruni rolled over to score at two metres for Italy and Dom Brown finished off two cross passes to his right-post position for 7-6 on extra at 1:33. The low scoring was more like a match pre-Tokyo Olympics. Di Somma opened the fourth period with a penalty strike at 5:42. Daube scored a six-metre-foul goal at 4:43. At 2:32, USA assistant coach Gavin Arroyo was red-carded. Italy took a timeout and used it to get Condemi to score from the top on extra. USA went to a timeout and Ryder Dodd snared his third goal cross cage on extra. USA had two excellent chances to force the shootout, the first hitting goalkeeper Gianmarco Nicosia in the head and the second blocked as the final seconds eroded the time. Italy had seventh place.

Match Heroes
Ferrero and di Somma scored two each with di Somma, Bruni and Condemi topping the Italian scoring in Singapore with 10 apiece. For USA, Ryder Dodd (15) scored three, Daube two (12) while captain Max Irving, scoreless today, had a 14-goal tally.

Turning Point
Italy coming from 2-1 down to 4-3 ahead and continued to hold the match in its fist.

Stats Don’t Lie
Italy converted just two from seven on extra and stopped seven of 12. On penalties, Italy nailed two, stole the ball 12-7 and shot 27 to 30.

Bottom Line
Italy finished with four wins and USA three. Both were group winners who fell at the quarterfinal stage.

What They Said

Edoardo di SOMMA (ITA) — Two Goals

On the closeness of the match:
“It was a good game. These matches are not easy, never, so I’m proud of my team because we fought until the end. It’s the World Championships, so it’s very important for us to close this tournament with a win.”

On what Italy did well:
“We didn’t do well, of course. It was not a good tournament for us. Every time that we have a tournament we want to win. For us, this is not a good result. But OK, we close this World Championships in the right way.”

The list of top state’s high school volleyball teams and players continues with AHSAA Class 3A.

Four different teams have won the Class 3A championship in the past four years, the last repeat champion coming in 2020 and 2021 with Trinity.

Volleyball practice starts on Aug. 4 and the first matches will be played on Aug. 21.

See who the AL.com sports staff picks as the top contenders and highlighted players in Class 3A.

Championship contenders

Mobile Christian earned its first volleyball title last season, beating Ohatchee for the championship in its third straight trip to the Elite 8 that also included a loss in the 2023 title match. The Leopards lost class Player of the Year Melaina Haines, who moved out of state, but reigning class Defensive MVP Melissa Patel returns along with all-staters Haley Eldridge at setter and Hadley Kelly in the middle.

Lauderdale County won to its second Elite 8 last season and returns two of its top three front row attackers (all-state Sunjia King-Davis and Hannah Grace Belue) along with all-state Libero Adeline Dickerson.

St. Luke’s won its only two volleyball titles in 2016 and 2017 and the Wildcats have reached at least the semifinal round in each of the four previous appearances since, including three straight. All-state players Ameilia Smith on the front and setter Baker Garside lead.

Ohatchee is coming off a championship appearance and always features an athletic group with this season proving no different. Ohatchee expects to challenge with a lineup that features all-state setter/right side Alanah Fitch.

Teams to watch (A-Z)

Donoho

Geraldine

Glencoe

Glenwood

Houston Academy

Lee-Scott

Northside Methodist

T.R. Miller

Westbrook Christian

Vinemont

Players to watch (A-Z)

Shannon Alvord, Northside Methodist, Jr., OH

Karlie Baker, Geraldine, Jr., OH

Hannah Grace Belue, Lauderdale County, Jr., OH

Na’Kiya Bothwell, Piedmont, Fr., OH

Cassie Burns, Geraldine, Sr., DS

Sarah Chambless, Geraldine, Jr., Middle

Adeline Dickerson, Lauderdale County, Sr., Libero

Rorie Dunbar, Glenwood, Jr., Setter/RS

Avery Dunnam, Lee-Scott, Sr., Middle

Haley Eldridge, Mobile Christian, Sr., Setter

Alanah Fitch, Ohatchee, Sr., Setter/RS

Makenzie Foy, Northside Methodist, Jr., Libero

Emma Kate Frazier, St. Luke’s, Fr., Libero

Baker Garside, St. Luke’s, Sr., Setter

Millie Gay, Houston Academy, Jr., Middle

Olivia Gibson, Lee-Scott, Jr., Middle

Addi Hammontree, Westbrook Christian, Jr., Middle

Hadley Kelly, Mobile Christian, Jr., Middle

Libby King, Westbrook Christian, Jr., OH

Sunjia King-Davis, Lauderdale County, Sr., Middle/OH

Alana Maldonado Maysonet, Donoho, Jr., OH/Middle

Maddie Moody, Glenwood, Sr., OH

Mary Claire Morgan, Northside Methodist, Sr., Middle

Raylee Neal, Westbrook Christian, Sr., Setter

Emery Owens, Lauderdale County, Sr., RS

Bentlee Pahman, Donoho, Jr., Libero

Melissa Patel, Mobile Christian, Sr., Libero

Emma Proctor, Piedmont, Jr., RS/Middle

Emily Riddle, Ohatchee, Sr., Middle

Lana Rowell, Geraldine, Sr., DS

Molly Rutland, Houston Academy, Sr., Setter

Leighton Scott, Lee-Scott, Sr., OH

Ann Davis Sinquefield, Houston Academy, Sr., OH

Amelia Smith, St. Luke’s, Sr., OH

Ellison Stewart, Westbrook Christian, Sr., OH

Callee Taylor, Donoho, Sr., Setter

Amiyah Thomas, Piedmont, Jr., OH

Ellie Tolbert, Piedmont, 8th, Middle

Lauren Watson, St. Luke’s, So., OH/DS/Setter

Emersyn White, Glenwood, Sr., Libero

Kate Williamon, Donoho, Sr., OH