The Hubert Jerzy Wagner Memorial match was far from easy for the Polish team as they faced Germany. Initially, it seemed like two different Polish teams were on the court. Despite early struggles, Poland triumphed 3-2 (20:25, 22:25, 25:19, 25:21, 15:12). After a smooth victory over Egypt, the Poles encountered a much tougher opponent in Germany. Problems arose in the first set with Poland’s attack efficiency at just 38 percent, while Germany’s middle attacks were notably effective.
Continued Struggles
The second set did not bring much improvement for Poland. Coach Michał Winiarski’s team quickly built a lead, but the Poles continued to struggle with attack finishes despite a 44-percent reception rate. Occasional strong plays from Bartosz Kurek and late-entry Łukasz Kaczmarek were insufficient to turn the tide.
In the third set, Poland finally awoke, aided by changes from coach Nikola Grbić. Tomasz Fornal and Kaczmarek, introduced late in the previous set, were joined by Grzegorz Łomacz and Mateusz Bieniek. Poland’s serve improved, causing Germany trouble and enabling Poland to score points rapidly. Kaczmarek led the attack with a 64-percent success rate, continuing the momentum into the fourth set where they led 19:11. Although Germany rallied with strong serves from Moritz Karlitzek, Poland held on to force a fifth set.
Securing the Victory
In the decisive set, Poland built a multi-point lead with strong blocking and attacking. Despite some late-game nerves as Germany chipped away at their lead, Poland’s earlier advantage held firm. They secured the tie-break 15:12, demonstrating resilience and skill. Poland will face Slovenia next in the Wagner Memorial, followed by pre-Olympic matches against Japan and the USA in Gdańsk.