Women’s U21 World Championship: 2023 medalists make statement starts

The three podium finishers from the 2023 edition of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s U21 World Championship opened their 2025 campaigns with confident victories, as host city Surabaya staged an exciting opening day across JAWA POS Arena, Gelora Pancasila and Samator Healthporia Volleyball Hall.

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Defending champions China overcame a resilient Croatian side to win 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 27-25, 25-21) in a tense Pool B opener.

China stumbled early, dropping the first set as Croatia’s block and defensive setup caused problems at the net. With 15 blocks in total, Croatia controlled the tempo and repeatedly frustrated China’s attackers.

The defending champions responded with improved attack and increased speed in transition. They edged out the next two sets with better placement and rhythm on offense before closing the match in the fourth.

Zhao Zexi led China with 22 points, while captain Li Chenxuan added 18. Tonka Bosnjak starred for Croatia with a match-high 27 points, and U19 standout Asja Zolota chipped in with 13.

Italy, the 2023 silver medalist, delivered a dominant performance in its Pool C opener with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-18) win over Czechia.

The Italians shook off a tight start and soon established control with efficient offense and a disciplined block. Their service pressure forced Czechia out of system frequently in the second and third sets.

Merit Chinenyenwa Adigwe anchored the effort with 12 points in a balanced game. Teresa Maria Bosso and captain Linda Manfredini added 11 apiece. Italy finished with 37 attacks, 10 blocks and seven aces while committing just 15 errors.

Meanwhile, Brazil opened its Pool D campaign with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-19) victory over Bulgaria.

The South Americans raced through the opening set with clean execution and few errors. Bulgaria responded in the second, pulling within two at 19-17 before Brazil capitalized on consecutive opponent errors and a final attack by captain Aline Segato Maestri to take the set.

The third set was more tightly contested, with Bulgaria briefly leading 9-8. Brazil regained the edge behind steady ball control and left-side attacks.

Helena Wenk Hoengen led all scorers with 18 points, followed by Aline with 11. Iva Dudova finished with 14 points to lead Bulgaria, who showed flashes of quality but could not break Brazil’s rhythm.

In another exciting encounter, the United States made a winning start with a 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) victory over Korea.

Henley Anderson led the American effort with 22 points, combining 16 attacks with three blocks and three aces. Elena Hoeck added 14 points, including five aces. Audrey Flanagan and Ayanna Watson contributed 13 and 11 points, respectively.

USA dominated the opening two sets with a strong serving and blocking game. Korea turned things around in the third by improving their floor defense and counterattack. But the Americans recovered in the fourth, establishing an early lead and maintaining pressure to secure the win. Lee Jua and Kim Sebeen led Korea with 15 and 12 points.

Argentina opened Pool A with a 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15) win over Canada. Argentina took control early and held off a strong Canadian push in the second set. In the third, their offense surged again to close the match. Martina Bednarek scored 16 points, Maria Bernadita Aguilar Toranza added 11 and Bianca Garibaldi chipped in with 10. Sophia Hansen led Canada with 11.

Serbia delivered a blocking clinic in its 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19) win over Puerto Rico, finishing with 16 total blocks. Katarina Gagic had eight blocks among her 16 points, tying Andrea Simovski as joint top scorer. Bojana Ristanovic added 11 points. Karla Michelle Sanchez George led Puerto Rico with nine.

Vietnam completed Pool A play with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-18) win over hosts Indonesia. Captain Dang Thi Hong scored 21 points, with 15 attacks, four blocks and two aces in a standout all-around performance. Junaida Santi led the home team with 14 points in front of a supportive local crowd.

The Dominican Republic outlasted Mexico 3-1 (27-25, 15-25, 25-19, 25-15) in Pool B. Virelys Shantal Rivera Soto tallied 23 points, helping her team recover from a second-set setback. Aylin Andrea Ravell Iglesias led Mexico with 20 points. The Dominicans gained control in the third and closed the match with a dominant fourth set.

Türkiye opened Pool C with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-14) win over Algeria. Beren Yesilirmak led with 11 points on 69 percent attack efficiency. Liza Safronova followed with nine points, including four aces. Setter Beril Coban ran the offense effectively throughout. Alida Bennour was Algeria’s top scorer with 12.

Poland swept Egypt 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-23) to close Pool C matches. Aleksandra Adamczyk scored 19 points, including 18 attacks, while Julia Hewelt added 14. Malak Shahein was Egypt’s best scorer with 10 points.

Thailand opened Pool D with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-23) win over Tunisia. Warisara Seetaloed and Supawadee Panwilai each scored 14 points. Kwannaphat Nualwan added 12. Thailand’s attacking game was on point with 41 kills. Eya Toumi and Sinda Ben Hamida led Tunisia with 15 and 12 points.

Japan wrapped up the day with a 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-16, 25-10) win over Chile. Sae Omori delivered a dominant attacking performance with 26 points, all on kills. Koyumi Fukumura added 14 points, including five aces. After a second-set slip, Japan reset their play and controlled the final two sets. Dominga Aylwin Debarca led Chile with 13 points.

Opening day in Surabaya featured solid starts from title contenders and promising performances from talents across the field. Action continues on Friday with the second round of pool play matches across all three venues.

2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U21 World Championship: full schedule

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