A touch of star power and a whole lot of grit—that’s what France brought to the court in Beijing as they secured their first win at the 2025 Volleyball Nations League, beating Belgium 3-1.
It was Iman Ndiaye who stole the show. With 24 thunderous attack kills, 4 aces, and 2 block points, the young opposite proved unstoppable. Her dominance helped France bounce back from an earlier loss to Türkiye, taking the match in four sets (25-22, 13-25, 25-13, 25-19).
Belgium, on the other hand, looked tired. It was their third straight match, and it showed. Despite 14 points from Britt Herbots, her 46 attack attempts (10 errors) told the real story. Belgium was out-blocked, out-hit, and ultimately outpaced by a refreshed and hungry French squad.
In other match of the day, Türkiye made quick work of Thailand in a 3-0 win. Alexia Carutasu delivered a standout performance with 19 points, including a flurry of blocks (4pts) and aces (5pts) that left little room for a Thai comeback.
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