Czechia stands as the sole team in Pool II of the #EuroVolleyU16W tournament, held in Prishtina, Kosovo, to maintain a flawless record with four wins in as many matches. The fourth day of competition was marked by intense drama, featuring three matches decided in five sets. Czechia triumphed over Greece, Türkiye overcame Hungary, and Montenegro defeated Croatia in these tiebreakers. Meanwhile, in Pool I in Tirana, Italy also boasts a perfect streak, matching Czechia`s performance after securing a 3-1 win against Poland in the day`s highlight match.
Jubilant scenes after Czechia`s dramatic victory over Greece.
Following a scheduled rest day on Saturday, Pool II action at the CEV U16 Volleyball European Championship 2025 in Prishtina resumed dramatically on Sunday. Montenegro secured a hard-fought five-set victory against Croatia (24-26, 27-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-12) at the Palace of Youth and Sports. Both teams came into the match with recent successes; Croatia had a two-match winning streak, while Montenegro aimed to recover from recent losses. The match was tight throughout, with Montenegro ultimately prevailing in the decisive fifth set. This result brings both teams` records to two wins and two losses.
Czechia continued their dominant run in Pool II by winning a thrilling 3-2 match against Greece (30-28, 17-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-13). This match was one of the tournament`s most competitive. The first set was a lengthy battle, narrowly won by Czechia. Greece responded strongly in the second, leveling the match. Czechia took the third, but Greece dominated the fourth to force a tie-break. The final set was tense, but Czechia held their composure to win 15-13, securing their fourth straight victory and cementing their position atop the group. Greece, now at two wins and two losses, again showed their resilience by pushing a top team to the limit.
Türkiye were the winners of another five-setter on Sunday in Prishtina.
In the day`s third five-set encounter, Türkiye narrowly defeated a persistent Hungarian team 3-2 (25-17, 25-12, 17-25, 19-25, 15-11). Türkiye started confidently, winning the first two sets decisively. Hungary, recovering from a previous loss, significantly improved in the third and fourth sets, displaying stronger play and tactical execution to force a tie-break. In the final set, Türkiye refocused and pulled ahead to win 15-11, securing their third win in Pool II. Türkiye`s record is now three wins and one loss, bolstering their semifinal chances, while Hungary drops to two wins and two losses, making their path to the next round more challenging but still possible.
Later that evening, Slovenia achieved their first win in Pool II, defeating host nation Kosovo 3-0 (25-17, 25-8, 25-19). After three losses, Slovenia delivered a composed performance. They took the first set by capitalizing on Kosovo`s errors. The second set was a dominant display by Slovenia. Kosovo offered more resistance in the third, supported by the home crowd, but Slovenia maintained control to seal the match. Slovenia`s record is now one win and three losses, while Kosovo remains winless but gains valuable experience.
With three rounds of group matches remaining, Pool II in Prishtina is poised for an exciting conclusion as teams compete for the two available semi-final spots.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood