Alan Nine
Poland and Turkey claimed the final two places in the Women’s EuroVolley semi-finals on Thursday, completing a line-up that also includes Italy and Serbia.
Elsewhere, the Italian domestic season drew closer with confirmation of the opening event in men’s Serie A2, while several clubs continued their preseason preparations.
Women’s EuroVolley
Poland defeated the Netherlands 3-1 in Istanbul to reach the European Championship semi-finals for the first time since 2019.
Stefano Lavarini’s team won 25-16, 20-25, 25-20 and 25-23 and will face Olympic and world champions Italy on Saturday.
Poland’s blocking proved decisive, producing 17 points during the match. Maja Koput and Magdalena Jurczyk recorded five blocks each, while Magdalena Stysiak and Julita Piasecka scored 14 points apiece.
The Netherlands threatened to force a tie-break after moving 21-18 ahead in the fourth set. The introduction of Julia Szczurowska helped change the course of the set as Poland scored four consecutive points before completing a 25-23 victory. It was Poland’s first European Championship win over the Netherlands since 1983.
Hosts Turkey also advanced to the last four with a 3-1 victory over Germany, winning 25-18, 22-25, 25-18 and 25-22 in front of 12,314 spectators. Melissa Vargas led the defending champions with 26 points, including 12 in the fourth set, while captain Eda Erdem contributed 12. Turkey will face Serbia in a repeat of the 2023 final, which Daniele Santarelli’s team won in five sets. The other semi-final will bring together Italy and Poland.
Italian Women’s Clubs
Numia Vero Volley Milano began their preseason schedule by winning all four sets of a training match against VBC Cremonese at the Opiquad Arena in Monza.
The sets ended 25-16, 28-26, 25-17 and 15-11.
Milano’s middle blockers made an immediate impact in both attack and blocking. New signing Aida Dautova, who had joined the group only the previous evening, scored the final point of the opening set.
Giulia Gennari, Nadia Cerbino and Ginevra Gibelli also featured during the match. Cerbino, Gibelli and Tessariol joined the senior squad from the club’s youth system for preseason.
Cremonese held two set points in the second, but Milano recovered to win it 28-26.
The home side then controlled the third set before completing the training match by taking the fourth 15-11.
Italian Men’s Clubs
The Del Monte Supercoppa A2 will mark the beginning of the 2026/27 men’s Serie A2 season.
Abba Pineto will face Consoli Sferc Brescia at the PalaMaggetti in Roseto degli Abruzzi at 20:00 on Saturday, October 10.
Pineto qualified after winning both the 2025/26 regular season and the Del Monte Coppa Italia A2, while Brescia secured their place through their final position in the regular-season standings.
The seventh edition of the competition will be the first to take place before the beginning of the Serie A2 championship.
Gas Sales Bluenergy Volley Piacenza, meanwhile, have published their second sustainability report, covering the 2024/25 season.
The document examines the club’s environmental, social and governance activities, including projects involving schools, inclusive sport and the wellbeing of players and staff.
The report also contains an assessment of the club’s carbon footprint conducted by AzzeroCO2 in accordance with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.
The study covers the period from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.
In April 2025, the club also installed a machine at the PalabancaSport for collecting plastic packaging and encouraging its proper disposal and recycling.
