Slovenia continues their undefeated streak in the Volleyball Nations League, defeating Brazil 3-2 in Fukuoka, Japan. This marks the first time Slovenia has beaten the three-time Olympic champions in official matches, solidifying their ranking and bolstering their chances for the Olympic Games. This victory is Slovenia’s sixth consecutive win in the VNL 2024, adding Brazil to their list of conquered teams.
Slovenia started strong, quickly gaining a 16-12 lead, but Brazil managed to catch up and briefly take the lead. However, Slovenia’s resilience shone through as they secured the first set with a crucial point from Čebulj. The second set saw a close battle, ending in Brazil’s favor, but Slovenia’s steady performance prevailed in the third set, finishing with a block by Čebulj.
The fourth set was a tough fight, with Brazil evening the score to 2-2. Despite Brazil’s psychological advantage, Slovenia maintained their composure and dominated the decisive fifth set, clinching their sixth VNL 2024 victory.
Tonček Štern led the team with 29 points, supported by captain Tine Urnaut’s 19 points. Adriano Xavier was Brazil’s top scorer with 21 points.
