In a thrilling showdown at Beijing’s National Indoor Stadium, Poland stunned China with a 3-1 victory (25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 25-21) in the FIVB Women’s Nations League on Thursday.
Opposite Magdalena Stysiak and outside hitter Martyna Czyrnianska each tallied 20 points to spearhead Poland’s attack. Captain Agnieszka Korneluk added 17 points, while middle blocker Aleksandra Gryka contributed 12, giving the European side the decisive edge.
China fought back in the second set after coach-led lineup tweaks unleashed faster attacks and stronger blocks. Outside hitters Tang Xin and Wu Mengjie energized the home crowd, helping level the match. Zhuang Yushan led China with 17 points, Wu added 13, and Tang chipped in 12—including seven in the second set alone.
"At the beginning, I felt I performed even better than in training," said 21-year-old Tang Xin. "But I got too excited and lost focus. Poland’s blockers adjusted quickly in the third set, targeting me directly and forcing me to adapt."
The third set saw both teams trading points until Poland’s rock-solid defense and consistent execution pulled them ahead 25-19. In the fourth, China raced to a 3-0 lead, but Poland answered with a 14-10 run and held on for a 25-21 close.
"We’re thrilled with this win," said Poland head coach Stefano Lavarini. "We knew this young Chinese squad would be tough—they show incredible technique and character. After a dip in our serving in set two, we regained rhythm, stabilized service and made tactical tweaks to counter different attackers."
With the result, Poland moves to 2-0 in the Beijing leg, while China sits at 1-1. Both teams will take a rest day on Friday before returning to action over the weekend.
Reference(s):
China lose to Poland in FIVB Women's Nations League in Beijing
cgtn.com
