The path to the #EuroVolleyU22M Final Round in Portugal has its first confirmed traveler. On Saturday, July 12, 2025, the Polish U22 men`s national volleyball team secured their place by winning Pool D of the qualification tournament held in Daugavpils, Latvia. Their decisive 3-0 victory over the host nation in the final match sealed a perfect record in the group.
The match against Latvia at the Daugavpils Olympic Centre concluded with set scores of 25-22, 25-17, and 25-19 in favor of the Polish side. While the scoreline suggests a straightforward win, the opening set saw Latvia put up a fight. After falling behind initially, a successful block and an ace helped Latvia briefly take a 15:14 lead. However, the experienced Polish team responded swiftly, reclaiming control and closing the set 25-22.
Poland completed their campaign in Daugavpils with a perfect record of three wins in as many matches.
The second set saw Poland assert their dominance early, pulling away to an 8:4 lead and never looking back. Powerful serves and spikes, notably from Bartłomiej Potrykus, extended the lead, resulting in a comfortable 25-17 win. The third set remained close up to 10:10, but Poland`s ability to capitalize on transition plays allowed them to build a gap, eventually securing the set 25-19 and the match.
For Latvia, top offensive contributions came from Kristers Landzāns with 16 points, Armands Rokjāns with 11, and Leo Aleksandrs Stolcs adding eight, including two blocks. Poland`s attack was led effectively by Wojciech Gajek, who tallied 20 points, supported by Bartłomiej Potrykus with 13.
In the other Pool D match, Israel defeated Croatia 3-0 (25-15, 27-25, 25-18), securing second place in the group with two wins and seven points.
Poland head coach Piotr Graban aims high for next year`s #EuroVolleyU22M in Portugal.
Reflecting on his team`s performance and qualification, Poland head coach Piotr Graban highlighted the dedication of his players:
It’s difficult, but we worked for nearly a month to qualify for this European Championship. All the players did fantastic things. We improved in nearly every aspect, so I believe that was the path to success. And of course, we have a good atmosphere and strong team mentality. You always need to stay focused, because at this level, anyone can win if you lose focus.
Looking ahead to Portugal, Graban set ambitious targets, stating, “In the final tournament, we are aiming for medals. Of course, everyone dreams of gold, and we’ll try to get that gold medal. But any place on the podium would be great.” He also commented positively on the tournament`s location and organization, finding Daugavpils “very nice” and praising the sports hall as “perfectly suitable.”
Latvia head coach Mārcis Obrumanis offered his perspective on the match against the strong Polish squad:
To compete with a team like Poland, we need to improve in all elements of the game. Today our attacking was quite effective, but we struggled in certain areas of serve reception, which prevented us from staying in the game longer and putting up a tougher fight.
Despite not qualifying this time, Obrumanis expressed optimism about the future of his team`s players, noting that this age group has qualified for the final tournament twice previously. He believes there is significant room for progress and that several players from this U22 squad are close to the senior national team level and will make their mark there soon.
Poland`s successful qualification campaign, marked by a perfect record in Daugavpils, sets the stage for their pursuit of a podium finish at the #EuroVolleyU22M Final Round in Portugal.
Torin Vale