After the third competition day of FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U19 World Championship in Croatia and Serbia, several teams emerged with safe spots in the eighthfinals. Croatia from Pool A, Brazil and Chinese Taipei from Pool B, Poland from Pool C, and Italy, China and Japan from Pool D can no longer finish below fourth place in their final pool standings. Friday’s program was highlighted by two classic continental derbies, and while China and Japan engaged in a five set all-Asian clash, Brazil swept their encounter with neighbors Argentina in straight sets.
FIVB Girls' U19 World Championship 2025
First U19 Worlds eighthfinalists emerge
Continental classics highlight the championship on Friday
Published 09:34, 04 Jul 2025
Great wall of China: 20 kill blocks against Japan!
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Pool A
Germany recovered from a slow start to edge out Mexico by 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-12) on Friday for their second consecutive Pool A win in Osijek. After losing the first set, the Germans regrouped with outside hitter Maria Tabacuks leading the way with a 19-point (17 attack kills, 1 kill block, 1 ace) performance. 16-year-old middle blocker Franziska Heil impressed with seven of Germany’s 16 kill blocks in the match. Outside hitter Angelica Jazmin Torres Galvan tallied 9 points (8, 0, 1) to emerge the best performer for Mexico, who have only one win in the competition so far.
The Asja Zolota show continued at the Gradski Vrt hall on Friday as the 16-year-old inspired Croatia to their third win in a row. The star opposite top-scored for the third consecutive game, as the co-hosts defeated Canada by 3-1 (25-19, 30-28, 25-27, 35-33) in a nervy encounter to maintain their status as the pool’s only undefeated and lead the way with 8 points. Zolota, who recorded 22 and 24 points in Croatia’s first two matches, ended the night with a game-high 23 points (20, 1, 2) while middle blocker Maya Bukovcan led the Canadians with 16 points (11, 2, 3). The North American team is down to a 1-2 win-loss record and 3 points.
Croatia’s Asja Zolota celebrates with her teammates
Egypt registered a 3-1 (25-21, 25-18, 24-26, 25-22) win over Thailand to mark their first win of the World Championship which threw Pool A wide open with two games left to play in the preliminary round. The Africans are now level on 3 points with Mexico, Thailand and Canada, all four teams having won only one of the three matches played so far and trail second-placed Germany by 4 points. For their first Pool A win, Egypt mounted a block party (20 to 6 stuff blocks), 7 of which came from captain Mariam Ebrahim who was operating at 70% efficiency in net defense. The middle blocker added 8 spike skills and 4 aces to top the scoring charts with 14 points. Her teammate, outside hitter Salma Elbehiry added another 19 points (17, 1, 1) to seal the crucial win. Opposite Natthawan Phatthaisong was Thailand’s best performer for the night with 16 points (13, 3, 0).
Pool B
Chinese Taipei pocketed their third consecutive victory in Pool B in Vrnjacka Banja, winning the opening match of the third competition day against Dominican Republic in four sets. Dominating with their prolific attacks, the Asian side celebrated a 3-1 (25-19, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17) win. 15-year-old middle blocker Wu Tzu-Hua and outside hitter Chen Yi shared the top scorer honors of the match with 17 points each. Wu’s points came all in swings as she registered a 61% success rate in attack, while Chen’s tally included one ace and one kill block. Two players jointly led the Dominican scorers too, with 11 points each – outsides Estel Santos (8, 2, 1) and 16-year-old Virelys Shantal Rivera (8, 1, 2) – while their team remains winless in the pool.
A nail-biting thriller unfolded in the second game of the day in Vrnjacka Banja. Championship co-hosts Serbia squeezed out a tight 3-2 (19-25, 26-24, 19-25, 25-10, 18-16) victory over Puerto Rico to improve to 2-1 and 6 points and leave the opponents winless, but now with two points on record. The way more productive Serbian offense (56-40 in spike kills) made the difference in this duel. 16-year-old outside Mia Ciric led the way with a match-high 17 points (14, 2, 1), while Cherisse Binex Atilano was Puerto Rico’s most prolific player with 15 points (14, 1, 0).
Serbia’s Mia Ciric in action
The day in Vrnjacka Banja concluded with an edition of the South American classic, in which Brazil left little room for a real derby and swept the match in three sets, 3-0 (25-22, 25-8, 25-23), to lead the pool table on a perfect 3-0 record without a set dropped so far in the competition. Argentina stand on 1-2 and two points. Brazil’s setter and captain Luanna Vazquez Markus left her mark with a remarkable 7 kill blocks towards her team’s victory. Opposite Luize Da Silva Tavares contributed a team-high 12 points (11, 0, 1), while Argentina’s outside and captain Julieta Arianne Ruelli delivered a match-high 13 points (12, 1, 0).
Pool C
Bulgaria emerged on the right end of a thrilling 3-2 (25-20, 17-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-11) battle with Türkiye to continue their resurgence at this year’s World Championship. The European champions overpowered Türkiye in attack (58 to 45 spike kills) with 16-year-old Kalina Veneva contributing 16 points to this statistic. The left-handed outside hitter added one kill block and three aces for her game-high 21 points, which took Bulgaria’s tally to 5 points from 3 matches. Outside hitter Aylin Uysalcan returned 13 points (11, 0, 2) for Türkiye, who now have a 1-2 win-loss record and 4 points.
Spain’s wait for a win at this U19 World Championship came to an end on Friday, when they defeated Peru in four sets, 3-1 (25-18, 25-17, 19-25, 25-9), at the Gradski Vrt hall in Osijek. The Europeans’ dominance in attack (53 to 36 spike kills) made all the difference as they cruised to their first victory of the competition. Captain Ines Losada Gordaliza once again emerged Spain’s top scorer with a game-high 23 points (22, 0, 1). Outside hitter Waleska Toro Zoltanski returned 12 points (10, 1, 1) for Peru, who remain without a win in Pool C after three consecutive 3-0 losses.
Poland’s growing reputation as the tournament’s dark horse received a seal of approval on Friday after a hard-fought 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 25-17, 25-27, 16-14) victory over USA. The Poles, who had earlier shocked 2023 silver medalists Türkiye and European champions Bulgaria, continued with their giant-slaying form by stunning the defending U19 world champions. With three consecutive wins, the Europeans now sit on top of Pool C with 8 points and they will have outside hitter Natasza Ornoch to thank as her game-high 27 points (26, 1, 0) was key in silencing USA. Outside hitter Macaria Spears turned in 21 points (16, 4, 1) for the Americans, who are ranked second in the pool on 2-1 and 7 points.
Pool D
The Asian classic between China and Japan offered an exciting rollercoaster five-setter, in which a team total of 20 kill blocks drove China to a 3-2 (13-25, 25-14, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10) victory. 16-year-old middle Guo Zhongnan led the way in blocking, authoring as many as six of those 20 stuffs for China, while outside and captain Huang Yuexin was the team’s best overall scorer with 15 points (12, 3, 0). Two Japanese players jointly topped the match scorers chart with 19 points apiece – outside and captain Minami Kessoku (16, 0, 3) and 16-year-old opposite Rion Chuganji (17, 1, 1). With this, China stayed undefeated on 3-0 and 8, while Japan dropped to 2-1 and 7.
In the pool’s second match of the day, Belgium took out Chile in straight sets. However, the South Americans put up a good fight and were able to control the game and the score at various moments in each of the sets. Still, the European side stayed more concentrated on the court and, with the help of as many as 13 aces, won the match by a solid 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-16), registering their first victory and first three points at the Trstenik hall near Vrnjacka Banja. Chile are yet to win a set. With six aces and two kill blocks to her name, Belgium’s opposite Mila Vlahovic piled up 18 points to top the match charts. Chile’s 16-year-old outside and captain Aina Grimalt once again led her team with 8 points, all in swings.
Belgium’s Mila Vlahovic about to fire another ace against Chile
A fighting Tunisia failed to capitalize on the opportunities they created against Italy and despite outplaying the opponents in some periods of the game, their European opponents managed to take the win in straight sets, 3-0 (25-3, 25-22, 25-18), powered by a team total of 14 kill blocks, and topped the Pool D table on 3-0 and 9. The African team has not won any sets in Trstenik yet. Outside Caterina Peroni was Italy’s leading scorer with 12 points (9, 2, 1). With a match-high 13 points (9, 3, 1) to her name, Tunisia’s opposite and captain Sinda Ben Hamida emerged as the top scorer.
