Poland has successfully clinched a coveted quarterfinal spot at the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, which is currently underway in the Philippines. In a hard-fought eighthfinal match held on Saturday in Pasay City, the formidable Polish squad, having been finalists in the last three championships, overcame resilient Canadian opposition in a four-set battle. As the top-ranked team globally, Poland is now poised to face Turkiye in a much-anticipated quarterfinal encounter scheduled for Wednesday, September 24.
Match Dynamics and Outcome
Throughout the majority of all four sets, Poland maintained a comfortable lead on the scoreboard. Their strategy heavily relied on capitalizing on a multitude of errors committed by the Canadian team, which ultimately paved the way for a convincing 3-1 victory. The set scores were 25-18, 23-25, 25-18, and 25-14. Canada managed to disrupt Poland`s rhythm and secure their only set win during the crucial closing moments of the second set, showcasing a brief but impactful breakthrough against the dominant Polish side.
Statistical Edge
The statistics underscored Canada`s struggles, as they gifted Poland a significant 35 points through unforced errors, while Poland themselves only made 16. The European contingent also exhibited clear superiority in serving, delivering 5 aces compared to Canada`s mere 2. Their net defense was equally impressive, recording 10 kill blocks versus Canada`s 7.
Poland`s Standout Players
Outside hitter Kamil Semeniuk played a crucial role, boasting an impressive 60% success rate in attack and contributing three vital kill blocks, accumulating a total of 18 points to lead his team. Captain and star opposite Bartosz Kurek also made a substantial impact, adding 15 points, which included an ace and a block. Another key player, the Cuban-born outside hitter Wilfredo Leon, reached double digits with 14 points, featuring three powerful aces and one kill block.
“It was another hard game. Of course, we are happy that we won the game and we are still in the tournament. Now we have a few days to prepare for the quarterfinal against Turkiye. We will sure use this time to get into the best shape possible ahead of this game,” Semeniuk commented on the team`s performance. “We don’t look at other teams’ results at this tournament. We try to be focused on us, on our volleyball, on our team… Tunnel vision until the final, like our coach always says. I think my best shape is still ahead and that applies to all our team. I hope the peak of our level is in the future, in the most important game of this tournament.”
Canada`s Key Contributors
Despite the loss, Canada showcased their attacking prowess, outscoring Poland 52 to 48 in successful attacks. Their opposite hitter, Sharone Vernon-Evans (Sho), stood out as the top scorer of the match, delivering spikes with a 57% success rate and contributing two kill blocks and an ace to finish with an exceptional 23 points. Outside hitter Jackson Young, who famously clinched the second set for Canada with a monstrous block, also contributed 11 points in offense, tallying 12 points overall.
“We are obviously not so happy we lost, of course, but I think there were good things in the game. Of course, they are a great team, but we know this is the benchmark in where we want to be, so we’ve got to just keep building. We definitely grew as a team throughout the tournament. With me coming in later in the summer and Nick (Nicholas Hoag) coming back, I think it took time to gel, but I think we did a good job and we are taking a step in the right direction,” Sho reflected after the match. “It feels good. It definitely feels like I belong, and the guys did a good job helping me come back and welcoming me in. I just wanted to try to bring what I was doing over in Japan and try to help the team be the best we can.”
Concluding Eighthfinal Matches
The eighthfinal round in Pasay City is set to conclude on Sunday with two compelling matchups. First, Argentina will face Italy at 15:30 local time (07:30 UTC), followed by an all-European clash between Belgium and Finland at 20:00 (12:20 UTC).
Oliver Wrenwick