Poland crawls back from 2-0 deficit, stuns Slovenia in VNL 2023

Poland erased a 2-0 set deficit to stun Slovenia, 29-31, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-13, in Week 3 of the Men's Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2023 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Poland improved to 7-2 while Slovenia dropped to 6-3 to tie Italy at sixth spot.

Tied at 10-all in the deciding fifth set, Poland unleashed a pivotal 3-1 run capped by a service error from the side of Slovenia. Bednorz Bartosz then unleashed a kill for the match point, 12-14, before a service infraction from Janusz Marcin saved one match point for Slovenia.

But a backrow attack from Bartosz sealed the deal for Poland as they completed a come-from-behind victory.

Sliwka Aleksander led Poland with 20 points while Bartosz shone with 14 markers built on 13 attacks and one block.

Cebulj Klemen paced Slovenia with 20 points anchored on 19 attacks and one block while Mozic Rok chipped in 17 markers.

Earlier, The Netherlands kept its playoff hopes alive after pulling off a 25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 25-18 win against Canada.

Opposite hitter Abdel-Aziz Nimir dropped 24 points anchored on 22 attacks and two aces while Jorna Gijs and Van Garderen Maarten chipped in 12 and 11 markers apiece as The Netherlands stayed at eighth spot with a 5-4 win-loss card.

Canada, meanwhile, slid to 2-7.

Only the top eight teams will advance to the final round, which will happen in Poland from July 19 to 23.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News