On the start to the 2024 Volleyball Nations League, Poland delivered a resounding defeat to Italy, winning 3-0 (28-26, 25-23, 25-21) on Tuesday evening in Antalya, Turkey. Led by Magdalena Stysiak’s powerful performance and bolstered by Agnieszka Korneluk’s formidable blocking, Poland not only claimed victory but also ascended two spots in the FIVB World Ranking, landing at number five.
Stysiak, the match’s top scorer, tallied 17 points, which included 15 kills, one ace, and one block. Korneluk, the team captain and middle blocker, added 11 points with five kill blocks, showcasing Poland’s defensive strength. Outside hitters Natalia Medrzyk and Martyna Lukasik also made significant contributions, scoring 11 and 10 points respectively.
Despite a strong blocking game with 11 blocks to Poland’s nine, Italy struggled in other areas, especially in serving where they managed only two aces compared to Poland’s four. Italy’s top scorer, Ekaterina Antropova, amassed 16 points, but the team ultimately fell two spots in the world rankings to number seven.
Earlier in the day, The Netherlands secured a victory against Bulgaria with a scoreline of 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-22), maintaining their position at number 10 in the rankings. Celeste Plak led her team with 12 points, including three kill blocks, while Bulgarian captain Miroslava Paskova topped her team’s chart with 11 points.
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