Former winners Italy and China faced off in Hiroshima with the former winning in five sets on Saturday, the second day of the 2011 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup.

The 2007 winners Italians gained the upper hand in the first set but were unable to maintain the momentum as the Chinese spearheaded by Wang Yimei, known for her strong spikes, rallied to win two straight sets for a 2-1 lead.

However, the Italian enhanced their attacks to win the fourth and rallied from behind in the deciding set to seal the victory over 2003 winners China 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12).

Spiker Wang said she was entirely immersed in Saturday's match, and attributed her team's loss to the lack of experience at key moments.

Chinese head coach Yu Juemin said his players had done their best and he was satisfied with Wang's powerful serving and the quick combination displayed by his team.

He hoped his players could carry on their spirit in the following match against the hosts Japan on Sunday.

The World Cup, running from Nov. 4 to 18, marks the first step in the qualification process for the London Olympic Games next year, with the top three of the 12 participating teams qualifying directly for the Olympics.