VNL 2022: USA destroy Poland in straight sets to become first finalist!

2 min read

23 July 2022 Ivan

DeFalco’s super serves make Poland powerless, and USA get back to final after 3 years!

The United States swept Poland in the first semi-final of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, and they did it by beating the rivals in just three sets (22:25, 23:25, 13:25)
The first two sets of the match in Bologna, Italy, were a close fight, but the Poles made lot of errors, and in the third set they got literally ashamed by the rivals.

| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

Interestingly, the last time the Polish and US teams played against each other in the semi-final of an important tournament was also in Italy.
Unlike this match, that one, held in Turin, was a great show in which Poland defeated USA at tie break after an epic battle to advance to the final of the FIVB World Championship.
Now the stakes were not that high, but the USA inflicted a very unpleasant defeat to the current world champions.

Torey DeFalco ruined his rival’s reception with serves, five of them in third set alone, scoring 6 aces, as well as a match-high with 13 points. Middle blocker David Smith also had a great match, contributing with 10 points, including an ace and three blocks, while Polish captain Bartosz Kurek was his team’s most prolific player with 11 points.

“I have not quite processed it yet. I’m still in the match, still hyped up and ready to go and play a game of volleyball. But I am really excited to have the team to support behind me and ready to play for the medal! The process of serving? If it is a good toss, I’m going to go up and hit it! That’s all you need to know…” said outside hitter Torey Defalco.

__________________

🏐| VNL 2022: Final 8 @ Bologna

— July 20, 2022 —

• 18.00 (Local Time) QUARTERFINAL 1 | USA (3) – Brazil (6) 3-1 (20:25, 25:22, 25:23, 25:17)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

• 21.00 (Local Time) QUARTERFINAL 2 | Italy (1) – The Netherlands (8) 3-1 (21:25, 25:22, 25:13, 25:22)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
__________________

— July 21, 2022 —

• 18.00 (Local Time) QUARTERFINAL 3 | France (5) – Japan (5) 3-0 (26:24, 25:16, 25:20)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

• 21.00 (Local Time) QUARTERFINAL 4 | Poland (2) – Iran (7) 3-2 (25:21, 24:26, 25:18, 16:25, 15:7)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

__________________

— July 23, 2022 —

👉🏼 SEMIFINAL 1 | 18.00 (Local Time) Poland – USA 0-3 (22:25, 23:25, 13:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH