U.S. Upsets Italians in Volleyball : World League: Scott Fortune, Allen Allen and Dan Hanan play role in beating defending world champions.

IRVINE —  What started as another routine match for the Italian national volleyball team ended as one of the biggest upsets by the United States so far in World League Volleyball.

After giving up 15 consecutive points in the first game, the U.S. national team rallied for a 3-15, 15-11, 15-10, 3-15, 15-10 victory over defending world-champion Italy in front of a crowd of 2,109 Sunday night at UC Irvine’s Bren Center.

The U.S. team improved to 3-1, while Italy dropped to 2-2.

Scott Fortune, a former standout at Laguna Beach High School, had four of his 19 kills in the fifth game as the United States built leads of 5-1 and 13-7. Fortune, the only holdover from the 1988 Olympic team, had a kill for the final point.

Allen Allen, who rejoined the team Friday after sitting out several matches with a knee injury, came off the bench with 19 kills and eight digs, and former Costa Mesa High star Mark Arnold added 11 kills.

But it was Dan Hanan, a former star at Edison High making his World League debut, who gave the U.S. team a lift.

Hanan, who suited up but didn’t play in the United States’ three-game loss to Italy Friday night in San Diego, finished with 14 kills and five blocks Sunday night.

“Dan has been waiting for an opportunity like this,” said U.S. Coach Fred Sturm, who also coached Hanan at Stanford. “We’re glad he made the most of the opportunity.”

Said Hanan: “I had a lot of friends here in Orange County who came to watch me. I wanted to play well.”

It started as a sour homecoming.

Italy, playing without its top hitter, Andrea Zorzi, a 7-0 middle blocker who has been sidelined after undergoing knee surgery, dominated the first game. The Italians rallied from a 3-0 deficit with 15 consecutive points.

The U.S. team struggled with its passing, finishing with only one dig in the game.

But Allen came up with several key digs, and Hanan had four kills and two blocks in the second game, keying a 6-0 run that broke a 5-5 tie.

The United States led, 14-7, but Italy fought off three game points to cut it to 14-11 before the game ended on an Italy net violation. The U.S. team also solved its passing problems, finishing with 17 digs in the game.

The U.S. team trailed, 8-7, in the third game, but a kill and block by Hanan and an ace by Javier Gaspar sparked an 8-2 streak. Hanan blocked Italy’s Michele Pasinato for the final point.

The victory was the first for the U.S. team against one of the world powers. The win also boosted the confidence of the young players, many of whom face an uncertain future should former Olympians Craig Buck, Karch Kiraly and others return to the team.

“Everyone has been calling us the ‘B’ team,” Bryan Ivie said. “We’re young, but all we need is a chance to prove ourselves.”