Canada Dominates Bulgaria, Eyes Finals in VNL 2023

On the third day of week 2 in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2023, Canada secured a dominant 3-0 victory (25-15, 25-13, 25-15) over Bulgaria. This triumph pushed Canada’s overall record to three wins in six matches, while Bulgaria remains with one victory in six matches. Canadian outside hitter Kiera Van Ryk shone as the standout player of the match, racking up 15 points across the three sets.

Following the match, we spoke with Lorenzo Micelli, the Bulgarian team’s coach, to gather his thoughts on his team’s performance. Micelli acknowledged the Canadian team’s prowess and observed that his players lacked logical execution. He congratulated the Canadian team on their win and noted the challenges of competing in such a demanding tournament. Micelli admitted that his team must become more aggressive and enhance their overall performance.

Shannon Winzor, the Canadian team’s coach, credited their convincing win to a powerful service game. Despite service inconsistency throughout the tournament, Winzor believed they excelled from the baseline in this match. She emphasized that their exceptional service pressure kept Bulgaria out of system, enabling Canada’s blockers to perform effectively.

Discussing their tournament goals, Winzor revealed that Canada aims to secure a spot among the top 8 teams and participate in the final round in Arlington. She expressed confidence in her team’s ability to achieve this objective.

Canadian player Hilary Howe shared her excitement about the victory and eagerly anticipated upcoming games. She commended the team’s setter for providing ample scoring opportunities. When asked about their win against Serbia in week 1, she said that the team’s confidence was significantly boosted after the game, and the game showed that they are capable to play against world’s top teams. Howe stated that their current goal is to qualify for the final round, as the team has shown improvement and set more ambitious targets compared to last season, when their objective was to avoid relegation.

(Featured image source: FIVB Volleyball Nations League Hong Kong 2023 presented by China Life (Overseas))

(Reported by Boris CHUNG Bok Man)