In a thrilling showdown at EuroVolley 2023, the Polish national volleyball team secured their spot in the semi-finals by defeating Serbia in four electrifying sets. The white and red squad clinched victory with a final score of 3-1 (26:28, 25:15, 36:34, 25:17), earning a well-deserved semi-final berth. Their next challenge? A face-off against Slovenia on Thursday.
Both teams faced a challenging path to the semi-finals. Poland had previously claimed a convincing 3-1 victory against Belgium, while Serbia enjoyed a smoother journey with a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic.
The early moments of the match favoured Serbia, as they surged to a 5-1 lead. However, the white-and-reds quickly rallied, equalizing the score at 9-9. Despite a brief surge by Serbia, Poland’s resilience shone through. A well-timed play by Wilfredo Leon levelled the score at 17-17, setting the stage for an exhilarating finale at 23-23. Poland held a set point at 25-24, but Serbia remained composed, ultimately winning 26-28, with Wilfredo Leon’s final shot going astray.
The second set witnessed Poland’s dominance, steadily building a lead to 7-4. The Serbians maintained sporadic surges (19:11), but Poland’s control prevailed (22:13), securing the set with a commanding 25-15 finish, highlighted by a powerful attack.
The third set unfolded as a nail-biter, with Poland initially securing a three-point lead. The teams traded blows, with scores hovering around parity (13:13, 20:20). Similar to the first set, an advantage game at 24:24 determined the winner. Poland emerged victorious with a score of 36:34, thanks in part to Łukasz Kaczmarek and Aleksander Śliwka.
Serbia started strong in the fourth set (6:6), but Poland gained control, extending their lead to 15:11. An impressive play by Norbert Huber nearly sealed the match at 19:14, and Poland held their advantage (22:16), ultimately winning the set and the match with a convincing 25:17 finish, courtesy of Aleksander Śliwka’s technical attack.
With this impressive victory, the Polish national volleyball team has earned a place in the European Championships semi-final. Their next challenge is Slovenia, with the highly anticipated match scheduled for Thursday, September 14th.
Poland – Serbia 3-1 (26-28, 25-15, 36-34, 25-17)