Inside The Numbers: A Look at the VNL Women’s Preliminary Rounds
After 120 matches, 15 per team and several standout performances in women’s VNL play, there was no question about who was the standout performer of the preliminary round: Poland’s Malwina Smarzek
Italy Wins Eighth Straight in 5-Setter vs. Brazil, Belgium Wins in 4
Britt Herbots scored a team-best 23 points as Belgium wrapped up VNL play with a victory over Thailand. Although the Final Six was mathematically out of reach, Italy did not hold back in its final match of the VNL, besting Brazil in five sets to end the tournament on an eight-match win streak.
Caixeta Salvages 4-Set Win for Brazil; Italy Stuffs Thailand
Tandara Caixeta scored 15 points in just three sets of action, many coming in a decisive fourth set in Brazil’s win over Belgium, which officially punched the team’s ticket to the VNL Final Six. Italy dominated the net in a quick sweep of Thailand, put-blocking its foes 13-0, to stay in the race for the VNL Final Six.
Germany Crushes Argentina, Smarzek Paces Poland Over Belgium
Nineteen-year old Hanna Orthmann took the spotlight after entering the match as a substitute in Set 1 of Germany’s blanking of winless Argentina. Malwina Smarzek dropped a match-high 23 points as Poland edged Serbia in four sets.
Grobelna, Smarzek Dominate as Belgium, Poland Grab Pool 16 Wins
Kaja Grobelna put on a show, scoring 24 points on 17 kills, four blocks and three aces, to pace Belgium in a sweep of winless Argentina. Poland blocked Germany off the court with 20 stuffs in a four-set win on Wednesday.
Russia Piles Up 22 Blocks in 5-Set Win over Turkey, Serbia Rolls
Russia boasted a 22-13 lead in blocks to rally for a 5-set victory over Turkey after falling behind 2-1 in the match. Serbia rode double-digit scoring efforts by Brankica Mihajlovic, Bojana Milenkovic and Stefana Veljkovic to an easy sweep of Belgium to keep pace atop the VNL leaderboard.
Turkey, Serbia Cruise to Pool 10 Sweeps Over Belgium, Russia
Turkey owned the net, both offensively and defensively, in a sweep of Belgium, while Tijana Boskovic delivered 25 points as Serbia topped Russia in every statistical category in another Pool 10 sweep.
USA Crushes Belgium for Fourth-Straight #VNL Win
USA coach Karch Kiraly tabbed a mix of seasoned and newer players, including opposite Annie Drews and middle Lauren Gibbemeyer, to lead the team against Belgium on Thursday and the Americans came through with a dominating sweep, their fourth straight Volleyball Nations League win.
Larson Leads USA Past Dutch, Japan Sweeps Belgium in #VNL Pool 5
Five aces and a balanced offensive attack lifted the USA to a quick sweep of the Netherlands, taking down the final unbeaten side in Volleyball Nations League play. Meanwhile, Japan dominated Belgium offensively in a sweep to wrap up Day 2 play in Pool 5.
USA Sweeps Japan, Netherlands Edges Belgium in 5 to Open #VNL Week 2
The Americans used a strong block and a 21-point effort from Michelle Bartsch-Hackley to score a sweep of Japan to open week 2 of the Volleyball Nations League, meanwhile the Dutch relied on their offensive prowess to best Belgium in five sets.
