Poland drop one game, but still lead the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League

An action-packed week of volleyball just flew by in Hong Kong and Brasilia, with 16 excellent teams facing off in two pools in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League.

Four European sides are now in the top eight places in the standings, vying for the seven qualifying places for the final round, which will take place in the United States, with the host team already qualified for the business end of the competition.

After winning four out of four in their first pool, Poland are still in pole-position in the standings, with seven wins and one loss, the same record as the United States of America, but with a better set difference, 21-7, as opposed to 21-10.

The team which finished fifth at the CEV EuroVolley 2021 Women had a six-game winning streak snapped by the Netherlands, which totally outplayed Poland in Hong Kong.

Backed by a 17-point outing from outside hitter Jolien Knollema, the Netherlands swept Poland in straight sets, 25-22, 25-21, 28-26, to take an impressive and unexpected win, only their second in the competition this season.

But Poland bounced back and served a 3-0 loss to leaders China, as opposite Magdalena Stysiak led the team to a stunning win, 25-20, 25-23, 25-22, which left the Asian side wondering what could have been were they to win.

Türkiye also shrugged off a loss against Poland, their second of the competition this season, to secure three wins in Hong Kong, 3-0 against the Netherlands, 3-0 against Canada and 3-1 against the Dominican Republic, with Ebrar Karakurt and Melissa Vargas starring once again for the European side, like in the previous pool.

But it was reigning European champions Italy which delivered the best performance in Hong Kong, with four wins out of four matches, albeit with the last three being true nail-biters.

After a 3-0 win against Bulgaria, the reigning European champions clinched a 3-2 win over the Dominican Republic, with a 15-10 dominating performance in the decider, another 3-2 win against the Netherlands, with a 19-17 win in the decider and yet another 3-2 win against China.

China took a one-set lead twice in the match against Italy, but with substitution outside hitter Alice Degradi starring in the business end of the game, where she had 14 points, the European side bounced back and produced an emphatic comeback, with their destiny being now firmly in their own hands, as they climbed up to the eighth place in the standings, with five wins and three losses.

In Brasilia, the United States of America delivered three excellent performances, including a win against Brazil, but lost their last game against Japan, as they were leapfrogged in the standings by Poland.

From the European sides in the competition, Germany are on the sixth place, with an excellent record of six wins and two losses, Serbia are ninth, with a 3-5 record, while Croatia are 14th and Bulgaria on the 15th place, with a single win and seven losses.

The last two pools before the final round are due to take place between 27 June and 2 July in the Republic of Korea and Thailand.