Volleyball Nations League 2022 recap — women's pool play, week two
Table of Contents
- Quick Summary
- China Beats Italy for Third Straight Win
- How China Got Here: A Perfect Start
- Brazil Beats Poland Behind Ana Carolina Da Silva
- Turkey Bounces Back Against Bulgaria
- Italy Climbs to Third With Win Over Netherlands
- Bulgaria's First Win Comes in a Thriller
- Updated Standings After Week Two
- What Happens Next
- FAQ
- Related Articles
Quick Summary
Volleyball fans, week two of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) is done, and the action in Turkey did not disappoint. China stayed hot. Brazil kept climbing. And two teams that started slow — Turkey and Bulgaria — both found a way to bounce back.
If you only have a minute, here's the short version: China beat Italy 3-1 to grab their third win in a row. That result pushed China into second place in the overall standings, right behind Brazil. Everyone else is fighting to keep up.
Now let's slow down and go match by match, because there's a lot worth unpacking here.
China Beats Italy for Third Straight Win
Let's start with the headline result. China's national women's volleyball team took down Italy 3-1 on Saturday, in the second leg of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League being held in Turkey.
The final scoreline read 25-13, 20-25, 25-22, 25-18. Look closely at that first set — 25-13. That's not a close set. That's a team sending a message early. Italy fought back to steal the second set, but China settled down and closed out the match in four.
This win was China's third in a row since the tournament started. Three wins to open a season is no accident. It's a sign that the team's setup, rotation, and serving game are clicking early, which matters a lot in a long league format like the VNL where consistency across many matches decides who makes the final round.
How China Got Here: A Perfect Start
Winning one match is nice. Winning three straight against different styles of opponents is a real trend.
China opened this year's VNL with a comfortable 3-1 win over the Netherlands. Then they beat Turkey 3-1 as well — Turkey being the host nation, playing in front of a home crowd, which makes that win even more impressive. Then came the Italy result above.
So in short: Netherlands, then Turkey, then Italy — three different opponents, three different playing styles, and three wins. That kind of range is usually a good early indicator for a team's depth in the squad.
Up next for China is a match against Thailand. Thailand teams are known for quick, aggressive attacking play, so this next match should be a good test of how China handles pace rather than power.
Brazil Beats Poland Behind Ana Carolina Da Silva
While China was busy in one match, Brazil was busy in another. Ana Carolina Da Silva turned in a standout performance to help Brazil secure their second Volleyball Nations League win of the tournament.
Brazil beat Poland 3-0, with set scores of 25-23, 25-21, and 25-22. Notice something about those numbers — every single set was close. 23, 21, 22. Poland didn't get blown out in any set; they just kept losing tight ones. That's often more a sign of composure under pressure from the winning team than a gap in raw talent.
Brazil currently sits at the top of the overall VNL rankings, and results like this are exactly why.
Turkey Bounces Back Against Bulgaria
Playing host country in a major tournament brings pressure, and Turkey felt some of that pressure when they lost to China. But good teams respond, and Turkey did exactly that in their very next match.
Turkey beat Bulgaria 25-19, 25-21, 25-16 — a straight-sets win with a comfortable margin in every set. Ebrar Karakurt, alongside team captain Eda Erdem, led the way for the Turkish side.
This win matters for a couple of reasons. First, it steadies the team's confidence right after a tough loss. Second, it shows the depth of talent Turkey has to call on, with two strong performers stepping up when it counted.
Italy Climbs to Third With Win Over Netherlands
Yes, Italy lost to China earlier in this recap. But volleyball tournaments are long, and one loss doesn't define a team's whole campaign.
Italy bounced back strong, beating the Netherlands 3-0 with scores of 25-19, 25-15, 25-15. That's their second win of the 2022 Volleyball Nations League, and it was enough to push Italy up to third place in the current overall rankings.
A 3-0 sweep, with two of the three sets won by 10+ points, tells you Italy came into this match focused and ready to answer their earlier loss the right way — with performance, not excuses.
Bulgaria's First Win Comes in a Thriller
Every team wants their breakthrough win to feel special, and Bulgaria got exactly that.
Thanks to a big performance from Gargana Dimitrova, Bulgaria picked up their first win of the 2022 Volleyball Nations League. They beat the Netherlands 3-2 in a full five-set battle — the kind of match that goes down to the wire and keeps fans on the edge of their seats until the very last point.
A five-set win is never easy. It usually means both teams traded momentum multiple times, and it takes real mental toughness to close it out in the fifth set. For Bulgaria, this is the kind of win that can turn a season around.
Updated Standings After Week Two
Here's where things stand after this round of matches:
| Position | Team | Notable Result This Week |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | Beat Poland 3-0 |
| 2 | China | Beat Italy 3-1 (3rd straight win) |
| 3 | Italy | Beat Netherlands 3-0 |
| — | Turkey | Beat Bulgaria 3-0 |
| — | Bulgaria | Beat Netherlands 3-2 (first win) |
Brazil leads the pack, with China right on their heels. Italy has recovered well after their loss to China and now sits in third. Turkey and Bulgaria are both building momentum after slower starts.
Image suggestion: A simple standings graphic or table image, placed right above or below this table for readers who prefer a visual.
What Happens Next
The 2022 Volleyball Nations League is far from over. China now turns its attention to Thailand, a matchup that will test their ability to handle speed and quick attacking combinations rather than raw power.
For the rest of the league, expect the middle-of-the-table teams like Turkey and Bulgaria to keep chasing the top three, while Brazil, China, and Italy try to hold their positions heading into the next phase of pool play.
Keep checking back for match-by-match updates as the tournament continues.
FAQ
Q: What is the Volleyball Nations League (VNL)? A: The VNL is an annual international volleyball tournament organized by the FIVB, featuring both men's and women's competitions with top national teams from around the world.
Q: Who is leading the 2022 women's VNL standings after week two? A: Brazil is on top of the current rankings, with China close behind in second place.
Q: What was the score when China beat Italy? A: China won 3-1, with set scores of 25-13, 20-25, 25-22, 25-18.
Q: How many wins in a row does China have? A: Three straight wins to open the 2022 VNL season — over the Netherlands, Turkey, and Italy.
Q: Who scored the winning performance for Brazil against Poland? A: Ana Carolina Da Silva was the standout performer in Brazil's 3-0 win over Poland.
Q: Did Bulgaria win any matches yet in this VNL season? A: Yes, Bulgaria picked up their first win of the season, beating the Netherlands 3-2 in five sets, led by Gargana Dimitrova.
Q: Who does China play next? A: China's next match in the 2022 VNL is against Thailand.
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