Polish host duo Malgorzata Ciezkowska and Urszula Lunio secured a direct entry into the Round of 16 of this week`s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Warmia Mazury Challenge on Thursday.
The young Polish pair emerged victorious in their pool, which included three Olympians, earning them a bypass of the Round of 24 stage at the Anders Hotel Beach venue.
Malgorzata Ciezkowska and Urszula Lunio celebrate with their home fans
The U20 European champions from 2023, 20-year-old Ciezkowska and 21-year-old Lunio, had a thrilling main draw debut in front of their home supporters. They defeated Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Taliqua Clancy and her Australian partner Jana Milutinovic 2-0 with set scores of 24-22 and 21-10.
Later the same day, the pair returned to the court and secured their second significant victory, beating Brazilians Vitória Rodrigues and Hegeile ‘Hegê’ Almeida also in straight sets (21-16, 21-15) to confirm their place in the Round of 16.
Germany and USA Dominate Pool Play with Two Winners Each
Germany and the United States proved to be the most successful nations during pool play in Poland, each having two teams top their respective pools in Warmia Mazury. Germans Sandra Ittlinger and Anna-Lena Grüne finished first in Pool A after defeating Polish Natalia Okla and Julia Radelczuk 2-0 (21-13, 21-9) and overcoming French Olympians Lézana Placette and Alexia Richard in a decisive tie-breaker (23-21, 21-23, 15-12).
Grüne and Ittlinger in action in Poland
Lea Kunst and Melanie Paul also remained undefeated on Thursday, winning both their Pool B matches. They secured a two-set victory (22-20, 21-18) against Ukrainians Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil and followed it up with a sweep (21-18, 36-34) against French Olympians Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau.
Americans Savvy Simo and Abby Van Winkle were the top team in Pool C after they defeated Dutch Olympian Raisa Schoon and partner Mila Konink in two sets (21-18, 21-11) and also beat Japanese Reika Murakami and Asami Shiba in straight sets (21-13, 21-19).
Their fellow Americans Kimberly Hildreth and Teegan Van Gunst faced tougher challenges to finish first in Pool F, playing two three-set matches on Thursday. They overcame Brazilians Andressa Cavalcante and Tainá Bigi in three sets (18-21, 21-11, 15-12) in their first match and then triumphed in another tie-breaker (21-15, 17-21, 18-16) against Australians Elizabeth Alchin and Georgia Johnson.
In Pool E, Dutch pair Wies Bekhuis and Emi van Driel were the top seed. They had a strong showing in their first two matches in Poland, defeating Lithuanians Jekaterina Kovalskaja and Daniele Kvedaraite in straight sets (21-17, 21-11) and sweeping (22-20, 21-15) Americans Corinne Quiggle and Megan Rice.
Ukrainians Maryna Hladun and Tetiana Lazarenko were the leading team in Pool D. They defeated two European duos in Warmia Mazury on Thursday, beating Germans Linda Bock and Louisa Lippmann 2-0 (21-17, 21-18) and overcoming Czechs Márie-Sara Štochlová and Marketa Svozilova in two sets (21-19, 24-22).
Spanish Olympians Daniela Álvarez and Tania Moreno completed the list of pool winners with their victory in Pool G. They had a relatively straightforward day in Poland, sweeping (21-11, 21-13) New Zealanders Olivia MacDonald and Shaunna Polley and also needing just two sets (21-16, 21-15) to handle Finnish Niina Ahtiainen and Taru Lahti.
Tania Moreno celebrates a point
The pairings for the eight Round of 24 matches scheduled for Friday are: Alcin/Johnson vs. Bock/Lippmann, Quiggle/Rice vs. Schoon/Konink, Ahtiainen/Lahti vs. Radelczuk/Okla, Vieira/Chamereau vs. Czechia’s Anna Pavelková/Katerina Pavelková, Vitória/Hegê vs. Davidova/Khmil, Placette/Richard vs. the Netherlands’ Noa Sonneville/Brecht Piersma, Štochlová/Svozilova vs. Clancy/Milutinovic and Reika/Shiba vs. USA’s Julia Donlin/Lexy Denaburg.
The Round of 16 matches are also scheduled for Friday. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place on Saturday, with the medal matches concluding the event on Sunday.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick