June 19, 2025. – An intense day of action unfolded Thursday during Week 2 of the Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL). The Dominican Republic earned a commanding win over Belgium, the United States started strong against Poland but couldn’t hold on, and Canada fell in straight sets to a dominant Türkiye.
Dominican Republic overpowers Belgium for solid victory
The Dominican Republic showcased its offensive firepower and control, sweeping Belgium 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 27-25) at the Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul before 2,146 fans.
Under the guidance of coach Marcos Kwiek, the Caribbean Queens delivered a consistent performance, taking full advantage of their opportunities against a Belgian side that only threatened in the third set.
Brayelin Martínez led the way with 18 points (15 attacks, 3 aces) and came up big in the final moments of the match.
Gaila González added 17 points, helping form a well-balanced offense that overwhelmed the Belgians. Yonkaira Peña and Ariadne Rodríguez contributed solidly on defense and reception, allowing for effective offensive distribution.
With this win, the Dominican Republic now holds a 3-3 record and sits 8th in the standings with 7 points.
USA loses momentum, falls to Poland in four sets
The United States couldn’t sustain its strong start and fell to Poland 1-3 (25-20, 20-25, 17-25, 18-25) in Belgrade.
Logan Eggleston led Team USA with 24 points, showing power in attack and serving. Middle blocker Brionne Butler also impressed with 13 points, including 6 blocks and 2 aces, though it wasn’t enough to stop Poland’s comeback.
After a solid first set, Erik Sullivan’s squad lost consistency, especially in the fourth set, where they failed to hold a four-point lead. Reception and serve control were weak points, as Martyna Lukasik fired 6 aces for Poland.
“We need to be more consistent. We didn’t compete at the level we expect from ourselves. We’ll regroup and prepare better for the next match,” said coach Erik Sullivan.
Team USA now stands at 2 wins and 4 losses, with 6 points and sits 11th in the standings.
Canada fights hard but falls to Türkiye in straight sets
Canada battled with determination against undefeated Türkiye in front of nearly 15,000 local fans but ultimately lost 0-3 (16-25, 18-25, 24-26) at the Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul.
Opposite Anna Smrek led Canada’s offense with 13 points (11 kills, 2 blocks), while outside hitter Kyla Johnson added 8 points and contributed effectively in defense and from the service line. Alexa Mitrovic also chipped in with 5 points.
Canada showed tactical discipline and solid defense but struggled to contain Türkiye’s offensive strength. Türkiye led in attacks (39-33), blocks (8-5), and aces (9-0). Both teams committed 20 unforced errors.
With the loss, Canada drops to 2 wins and 4 losses, sitting in 12th place with 5 points.
Friday, June 20 Schedule
In Istanbul, Canada will face Brazil at 7:30 p.m. local time. The United States and the Dominican Republic have a rest day.
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