Slovenia emerged victorious after a grueling two hours and 47 minutes in their Volleyball Nations League 2024 opener against the Netherlands in Antalya. Despite a stellar 31-point performance by Dutch star Nimir Abdel-Aziz, Slovenia won 3-2 in a nail-biting five-set match (31-33, 25-22, 20-25, 25-21, 27-25).
Slovenia’s Toncek Stern and Klemen Cebulj each scored 21 points, contributing to their team’s hard-fought win. The intense battle saw both teams frequently exchanging leads and denying each other’s match points, with Slovenia ultimately clinching victory with Stern’s precision ace.
In another Pool 1 match, defending champions Poland defeated the United States in straight sets (25-22, 25-15, 26-24), bolstering their title defense with a solid start. Poland’s captain Aleksander Sliwka led with 13 points, while Gabriel Garcia and Jordan Ewert scored 11 and 10 points respectively for the USA.