The match between the Poles and the Canadians promised to be evenly matched as both teams lost four games in this year’s edition of the Nations League and won two games each. These results were reflected in the overall tournament standings. Biało-Czerwone took 11th place and their rivals 12th.
League of Nations. First set for the Canadians
The start of the game belonged to the Canadians, who quickly regained a three-point lead. The Polish women, in turn, struggled to complete the attacks, which, with well-disposed rivals, did not help to make up for the losses. Jacek Nawrocki’s players went to the first technical break with the score 5:8.
Although the Biało-Czerwone did not threaten the rivals with the service, they began to score with the block, thanks to which they gradually reduced the loss of the Canadians. They managed to equalize before the second technical timeout and at 12:12 Shannon Winzer called for a timeout. However, Nawrocki’s charges improved the game on several elements, thanks to which a few minutes later they were leading at 16:15.
The Canadians continued to block well, adding effective play. This once again helped them take a three-point lead in that game, with the scoreboard at one point showing 21-18. In the end, the North American volleyball players won the first set 25:22.
Poland – Canada in the League of Nations. The second set for the rivals
The first actions of the second set were similar: the Poles had a problem with the organization of the game in defense and attack, which the rivals meticulously used, taking the lead 6:3. Good deeds from Stysiak, Łukasik and Smarzek helped Biało-Czerwony to recover from losses and led to the score 6:6. However, that wasn’t enough for the physically fit Canadians, who went to the first technical timeout with a two-point lead.
The Polish players played chaotically and positioned themselves badly in defense, which only made for the Winzer players, who increased their advantage and led 13:9. The players went to the second technical timeout with a 16:10 result for Canada, and Kiera Van Ryk showed two service aces in a row.
The decisive part of the second set was not done much better by the Poles. Biało-Czerwone made simple mistakes and only a few actions were able to score effectively. With the score at 21:14, it became clear to the Canadians that Nawrocki’s attacks would be difficult to compensate for losses in the game. And although Smarzek-Godek’s efficient play gave the Poles some points, the second set ended with the score of 25:21 for the rivals.
The third set for Polish volleyball players
The Canadians started the next set better, taking a 3-0 lead. However, the Poles managed to quickly recover the losses, and after the attacks from Górecka and the Łukasik block, it was already 5:3 for the Whites and Reds. The Polish team went to the first technical break leading 8:7.
After the break, the players from North America began to quickly recover the losses, thanks to which after a few actions it was already 10:8 for the rivals. From then on, the match became very balanced, with both teams playing point for point. At the second technical timeout, the Canadians led 16:15.
Nawrocki’s charges began to play better, which helped them make up for losses with individual errors from their rivals. At 9:19 p.m., the Poles were one step away from victory. The White-Reds did not give up the lead until the end of the set, winning 25:21.
The Polish team equalized in the game against Canada
The start of the fourth set was even, and after some action the scoreboard appeared 3:3. The players continued to play point for point and it was the Poles who managed to go down to the first technical break with a point lead.
Biało-Czerwone systematically increased their lead, thanks to which at one point it was already 13:9 for Nawrocki’s charges. The Polish women went to the second technical break with the score 16:11. Good attacks by Łukasik allowed the representatives of our country to maintain a safe advantage, thanks to which in the last part of the set it was already 20:16 for the Polish women, who finally won the game 25:17.
League of Nations. Tie-break decided
The fate of the encounter was decided by a tie-break, in which the two teams first played point by point. Canada were the first to win the two-point lead, which led to the score 5:3. However, the Polish team managed to score four times in a row, so the rivals’ coach asked for time at 7:5.
The image of the meeting did not change in subsequent actions. Nawrocki’s charges played effectively against which, together with Górecka’s good serve and Smarzek-Godek’s effective attacks, allowed the Polish side to develop a five-point advantage. The scoreboard showed 10:5 and Biało-Czerwone was one step away from winning the game. This was sealed by winning the tie-break 15:7 and the whole encounter 3:2.
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