Poland falls to Turkey in four-set Nations League opener in Osaka
Poland's women's volleyball team opened the Osaka leg of the FIVB Nations League with a 1-3 loss to Turkey on Wednesday, despite winning the second set and holding two set points in the first.
Match overview
Poland entered the match in Osaka with a 6-2 record, sitting fourth in the Nations League standings, while Turkey also had six wins and two losses, riding a five-match winning streak. Both teams are in contention for a spot in the Final Eight in Macau (22–26 July), where seven wins last year proved enough to qualify. Turkey, the reigning world vice-champions, were missing stars Ebrar Karakurt and Edy Erdem but still fielded a powerful lineup.
Set-by-set
The first set was a tight affair. Poland fought back from an early four-point deficit and earned two set points at 25-24, but lost three consecutive rallies to drop the set 25-27. The Poles rebounded in the second, dominating with strong attacking from Julita Piasecka to win 25-20. From the third set onward, Turkey found its rhythm. The Turkish side opened a quick 4-0 lead and never looked back, taking the set 25-19. The fourth followed a similar pattern, with Melissa Vargas and Ilkin Aydin breaking through Poland's block repeatedly for another 25-19 win.
- Poland loses 25-27 after holding two set points
- Poland wins 25-20, led by Piasecka's attack
- Turkey dominates 25-19, Poland's errors mount
- Turkey closes out 25-19, Vargas and Aydin lead
Top performers
Julita Piasecka led Poland with 14 points, while Magdalena Stysiak added 12 and Anna Obiała contributed 10. For Turkey, Melissa Vargas was the standout with 23 points. Ilkin Aydin scored 14, and Hande Baladin and Zehra Gunes each had 10.
- Melissa Vargas (TUR)
- 23 points
- Julita Piasecka (POL)
- 14 points
- Ilkin Aydin (TUR)
- 14 points
- Magdalena Stysiak (POL)
- 12 points
- Anna Obiała (POL)
- 10 points
- Hande Baladin (TUR)
- 10 points
- Zehra Gunes (TUR)
- 10 points
Coach's assessment
Poland's head coach Stefano Lavarini acknowledged the drop-off after two competitive sets. He noted that the team's block-defense system, a focus in recent training, struggled against Turkey's efficient reception and powerful attack.
We played two good sets, Turkey later dealt with their problems. In the third and fourth sets they showed much more quality, finding better balance, making fewer errors, controlling the ball. I think we did not fail in terms of tactical execution, but we lacked maintaining that level.
Road ahead
Poland faces the United States on 9 July at 6:00 a.m. Polish time, followed by Brazil on 10 July and host Japan on 12 July. The top seven teams after the preliminary phase, plus host China, will advance to the Finals in Macau. Poland's record now stands at 6-3, while Turkey improves to 7-2.
