2025 VNL Jun 6: Czechia Stuns USA, Dominican R Outlasts Netherlands

The third day of the Volleyball Nations League 2025 delivered six thrilling matches across three pools, with a significant upset and intense battles captivating fans.

The day began in Pool 3, where France secured their first win of the tournament by defeating Belgium 3-1 (25-22, 13-25, 25-13, 25-19). French opposite Ndiaye put on an impressive display, leading all scorers with 30 points. Belgium’s captain Britt Herbots, in a post-match VBTV interview, acknowledged her team’s struggles in block defense, emphasizing the need for improvement after this important loss.

In the second match of the day in Beijing, Türkiye claimed their second victory by sweeping Thailand in straight sets (25-23, 25-14, 25-22). The Thai team, now winless after three matches, struggled to find their rhythm, with captain Ajcharaporn Kongyot visibly emotional after scoring just two points. Türkiye’s coach Daniele Santarelli, speaking to VBTV, highlighted the positive attitude of his team’s new players, emphasizing their eagerness to learn and improve.

Over in Pool 1, the Dominican Republic edged past the Netherlands in an electrifying five-set match (22-25, 25-19, 28-26, 22-25, 15-13). The Dominican side relied on their experience to push through in the decisive set, while Dutch opposite Elles Dambrink reflected on her team’s slow start and inability to close the gap in critical moments during her VBTV interview.

Japan continued their dominant form in the second Pool 1 match, defeating Serbia in straight sets (25-19, 25-21, 25-13). This marked Japan’s second consecutive straight-set victory, while Serbia remains winless after two matches in the tournament.

In Pool 2 action in Rio de Janeiro, Italy maintained their unbeaten record with a commanding 3-0 win over South Korea (25-13, 25-13, 25-17). Italy’s blocking and attacking proved too strong for their opponents. South Korea’s coach Fernando Morales, speaking to VBTV, praised his team’s effort in the final set but noted the difficulty of competing against Italy’s powerful play.

The final match of the day delivered the biggest upset, as Czechia stunned the USA by pulling off a remarkable reverse sweep (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25). In the decisive fifth set, both teams missed several match points before Czechia finally secured the win at 27-25. This historic victory marked Czechia’s first-ever win in the VNL, having debuted in the competition this year. Czechia’s coach, Giannis Athanasopoulos, called the win “huge” for the team and credited the players for their resilience after being down 2-0. However, he stressed the importance of staying focused, with another critical match ahead.

Czechia now holds a 1-1 record, while the USA remains winless after three matches, a surprising turn for the American side.

(Featured image source: Volleyball World)

(Written by Boris CHUNG Bok Man)