The reigning champions of the Polish Women`s Volleyball League secured a strong away win against Bielsko-Biała in the opening match of the 2025-2026 season.
American outside hitter Taylor Bannister scored 19 points in her first Polish League match.
KS DevelopRes Rzeszów, the reigning champions of Tauron Liga, began their 2025-2026 Polish League season successfully on Tuesday, securing a crucial three points. In the concluding match of the regular season`s first leg, the Rzeszów squad triumphed over BKS BOSTIK ZGO Bielsko-Biała away from home. This decisive victory, earning them maximum points, marks a strong initial step in their quest to defend their title.
Under the guidance of new coach Cesar Hernández, DevelopRes defied Bielsko-Biała`s home advantage, winning the encounter 3-1 with set scores of 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, and 25-18.
Taylor Bannister, a new American outside hitter, was instrumental in DevelopRes` win, tallying a game-high 19 points (17 kills, 2 aces). Teammate Julita Piasecka, another recent acquisition, also made a significant contribution with 13 points (10 kills, 3 blocks). For Bielsko-Biała, Estonian opposite Kertu Laak was their most productive player, finishing with 14 points (12 kills, 2 blocks).
Other Notable Results from the Opening Leg
A significant upset occurred on Friday when ITA TOOLS Stal Mielec went on the road to defeat last season`s third-place finishers, PGE Grot Budowlani Łódź, in a thrilling 3-2 away match (25-23, 25-17, 20-25, 20-25, 15-11). Young middle blocker Rozalia Moszyńska, 20, earned the MVP award for her outstanding performance, contributing 20 points with 12 kills, 7 blocks, and 1 ace.
Saturday saw another exciting five-set encounter, with LOTTO Chemik Police staging a comeback at home to overcome Sokół & Hagric Mogilno 3-2 (17-25, 25-18, 25-19, 20-25, 15-10). Opposite Weronika Gierszewska led her team`s effort with 20 points (15 kills, 5 blocks).
Last year`s runners-up, ŁKS Commercecon Łódź, commenced their season with a more straightforward 3-1 road victory against UNI Opole on Saturday (25-23, 25-23, 14-25, 26-24). Brazilian outside hitter Regiane Bidias was their standout performer, scoring 20 points (17 kills, 2 aces, 1 block).
The season`s inaugural match on Thursday saw #VolleyWrocław dominate newcomers EcoHarpoon NOWEL LOS Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki with a clean sweep (27-25, 25-25, 25-10) at home. Croatian opposite Barbara Đapić contributed 19 points (16 kills, 3 blocks) to their victory.
On Monday, MOYA Radomka Radom also secured their first victory in straight sets, defeating Metalkas Pałac Bydgoszcz 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-20). Opposite Monika Gałkowska was the offensive star, amassing 15 points (13 kills, 2 aces).
The second round of the Polish League is eagerly anticipated and is scheduled to feature six more matches, running from Thursday through Sunday.
Oliver Wrenwick