2024 VNL May 28: Thailand First Win, Brazil, Poland Remain Unbeaten

On the opening day of VNL 2024 week 2, the action kicked off with Thailand facing off against the Dominican Republic. The Asian side pulled off an upset, defeating the Dominican Republic in four sets (25-22, 20-25, 25-17, 26-24) to secure their first win of the tournament.

In the second match of the day, Brazil continued their winning streak, defeating Japan in a thrilling five-set encounter (24-26, 26-24, 19-25, 25-20, 15-11). Despite the loss, Japanese captain Sarina Koga showcased her class once again, scoring an impressive 29 points to top the scoresheet.

Moving on to Pool 4 in Arlington, Texas, USA, the first match of the day featured a clash between European powerhouses Poland and Serbia. Poland, who had won all their matches in Week 1 without dropping a set, extended their winning run to five games, despite losing their first set of the tournament. They ultimately prevailed 3-1 (25-15, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22), with Polish opposite Stysiak leading the way with a match-high 23 points.

In the final match of the day, the United States faced off Canada. The home team emerged victorious, defeating Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20). Despite the loss, Canadian captain Gray was the top scorer of the match with 23 points. The defeat saw Canada drop one spot in the world rankings, falling behind the Netherlands by less than a point in the race for the final qualification spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics through the world ranking pathway.

(Featured image source: Volleyball World)

(Written by Boris CHUNG Bok Man)