VNL 2025

Lukasik fires six aces in Poland’s tough win over USA

Vargas on fire as Turkiye shuts out Canada

Published 06:12, 19 Jun 2025

USA (USA) vs. Poland (POL) women - Pool 6 - Preliminary Phase #47667135

Poland’s Martyna Lukasik celebrates with her teammates

Without their star captain Agnieszka Korneluk in play, Poland did not allow USA to take any points away from their women’s Volleyball Nations League game in Belgrade on Thursday, and thanks to some great serving, particularly from Martyna Lukasik, managed to close the match in four sets to improve to a 5-1 win-loss record and 15 points and rise to third place in the current VNL standings. Meanwhile, Turkiye defeated Canada in straight sets at home in Istanbul to extend their winning streak to 6-0 and take second place on 16 points. The Americans are in 11th on 2-4 and 6, while their neighbors from Canada stand 12^th on 2-4 and 5.

Watch the Volleyball Nations League on VBTV

Outside hitter Martyna Lukasik produced as many as six of her team’s 10 serving aces towards Poland’s 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18) victory over the United States. She also raised two kill blocks and spiked 18 kills in attack, including the match winner, to finish on a match-high 26 points. Her 22-year-old cross-court teammate Julita Piasecka fired another three aces to finish with 10 points, while opposite Magdalena Stysiak added another 14 points towards the win. Outside Logan Eggleston was USA’s most prolific scorer with 24 points to her name, supported by middle blocker Brionne Butler with 13 points. They scored two aces each, while Butler also impressed with six kill blocks.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Volleyball Nations League (@volleyballnationsleague)

With Eggleston on fire, the match started well for the Americans and they took the first set. Lukasik stepped up her effort in set two and delivered three aces to help level the match. Stysiak also made an important contribution in the third set as her team edged forward in the score. USA battled back in the fourth, but could not hold on to four-point lead, falling victim to Poland’s excellent serving and spiking efforts.

“At the moment, our matches are made up of ups and downs. I think we did a good job in attack, and particularly in using the shots that we had to choose against a physical team. So that was the thing that, in my opinion, made the difference on our side, probably together with the service, especially in the fourth set, when it put us in a position to come back and win the set. We grew up during the match and this is what we wanted, so I am satisfied,” Poland’s Italian head coach Stefano Lavarini told VBTV.

“We just need to be more consistent. I don’t feel that we competed at the level that we held ourselves to maybe in the last three or four matches that we’ve played. So we need to go back and regroup a little bit, and make sure we are ready for our next match,” USA’s head coach Erik Sullivan commented.

Over in Istanbul, opposite Melissa Vargas had a brilliant performance in Turkiye’s 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 26-24) sweep of their game against Canada. She led the way with a match-high 21 points, including an impressive four aces and three kill blocks. Another three aces and three blocks were authored by middle Deniz Uyanik, who finished with a total of nine points. Outside Ebrar Karakurt chipped in with 12 points. She was the one, who hammered the game winner at Turkiye’s second match point.