Poland’s women’s national team gave their home fans a thrilling reason to celebrate on Sunday as they secured a 3-1 win over Japan to claim the bronze medal at the 2025 Volleyball Nations League.
The match, played in front of 10,000 passionate supporters at Łódź’s Atlas Arena, saw Poland finish on the podium for a third consecutive year—an achievement made even sweeter by the roar of their home crowd.
Poland 3, Japan 1 (25-15, 24-26, 25-16, 25-23)
After a disappointing semifinal against Italy, Poland returned to the court with fresh focus and high energy. The team dominated the opening set and stayed composed through tight rallies to close out the match in four sets.
Head coach Stefano Lavarini expressed deep pride in the team’s performance:
“This is a very emotional moment. Winning here in Łódź means a lot. We’ve played here many times, but this time we leave with a medal, and that’s thanks to the energy our fans gave us all week.”
Top Scorers – Poland:
- Magdalena Stysiak – 18 points (16 kills, 2 blocks)
- Agnieszka Korneluk – 16 points (8 blocks, 8 kills)
- Martyna Czyrńianska – 12 points
- Martyna Łukasik – 11 points
Top Scorers – Japan:
- Haruyo Shimamura – 15 points (13 kills, 2 blocks)
- Mayu Ishikawa – 12 points (12 kills)
Other numbers:
- Kills: 52 each
- Blocks: Poland 15 – Japan 2
- Aces: 2 each
- Opponent Errors: Japan 30 – Poland 24
The Polish team’s dominance at the net, especially through Korneluk’s blocking, was a decisive factor in the match. Their ability to force errors and stay aggressive proved too much for the Japanese side.
What’s Next?
Both teams will now shift their attention to the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship, set to take place in Thailand from August 22 to September 7, 2025.