In a dominant performance, the Netherlands swept past Bulgaria with a 3-0 victory (25-11, 25-13, 25-19) in the first quarterfinal match of CEV EuroVolley 2023. The Dutch team outperformed their opponents in every aspect of the game, as fatigue seemed to take its toll on the Bulgarian side. Prior to the match, Bulgaria had endured a grueling week, playing 5 sets with Romania, 4 sets with Switzerland, and 5 sets with Slovakia. In contrast, the Netherlands, having had a relatively easier victory against Switzerland in the Round of 16 (they lost only 1 set until quarterfinals), entered the match with more energy and focus, which they maintained throughout the match.
Juliet Lohuis led the scoring for the Netherlands with 17 points, closely followed by Nika Daalderop with 16 points and Celeste Plak with 13 points. For Bulgaria, Radostina Marinova was the most effective player, scoring 10 points, but it was not enough to prevent a comprehensive defeat.
