Serbia Triumphs Over Canada
Serbia secured a critical victory in their final match of the Volleyball Nations League tournament in Ottawa. Under coach Igor Kolaković, Serbia defeated host Canada 3-1 with set scores of 21-25, 25-20, 25-18, and 25-23. This win boosted Serbia’s chances for Olympic qualification, overtaking Cuba in the rankings.
The match saw standout performances from Dražen Luburić with 22 points, Miran Kujundžić with 19, and Uroš Kovačević with 11. Stephen Maar and Arthur Szwarc were Canada’s top performers, each scoring 16 points. Despite a strong start by Canada, Serbia’s resilience, especially in the third and fourth sets, ensured their comeback and victory. This win earned Serbia eight valuable points on the FIVB world ranking list, putting them at 252 points, ahead of Cuba’s 250.64. Serbia will play the third VNL tournament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where they will potentially have a crucial match against Cuba for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
France Edges Out Argentina in a Thriller
In another intense match, France narrowly defeated Argentina 3-2 in a gripping five-set battle in Ottawa. The scores were 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 26-28, and 15-9.
Facundo Conte of Argentina led the match with 22 points, while Bruno Lima contributed an additional 16 points for the team. For France, Trevor Clevenot and Yacine Louati were the top performers, each scoring 19 points. France, with six wins and two losses, now heads to Manila for the next phase of the Nations League, positioned fourth in the standings.
