WARSAW, July 23 (Xinhua) — Poland’s males’s volleyball group received the Volleyball Nations League title for the primary time after beating the United States 25-23, 24-26, 25-18, 25-18 in Gdansk on Sunday.
Opposite Lukasz Kaczmarek was the undisputed hero for the house aspect, scoring a match-high 25 factors, whereas Torrey Defalco earned 14 factors for the United States.
In a good opening set, Poland held a 15-13 lead thanks to 2 aces by exterior hitter Wilfredo Leon, however the U.S., led by John Speraw, narrowed the deficit to at least one level at 20-19, and saved two set factors earlier than committing errors whereas serving to grant the opponents a 25-23 win.
Poland, silver medalists on the 2022 FIVB Men’s World Championship, appeared to remain heading in the right direction, taking a 16-11 lead within the second set. The U.S. managed to stage the scoresheet after sending receiver Aaron Russell on earlier than David Smith spiked for 25-24 and a profitable block gave them an equalizing set.
The hosts then turned the tempo to take management of the sport, with 29-year-old Kaczmarek, who performed one among his greatest matches for the nationwide group, main the group to construct a protected 20-13 benefit, from the place they by no means seemed again.
It was Jakub Kochanowski who closed the sport with an efficient block, and Poland received the fourth set 25-18 to safe the primary Volleyball Nations League title of their historical past.
Earlier within the day, Japan took bronze after beating Italy in a five-set thriller, 25-18, 25-23, 17-25, 17-25, 15-9.