WARSAW, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Poland advanced into the quarterfinals of the European Women's Volleyball Championship after beating Spain 25-20, 25-20, 25-19 in Lodz, Poland on Sunday.
Poland finished second in their pool with four wins and one loss. Coach Jacek Nawrocki was happy that his team avoided Russia in the eight-finals thanks to victory over Italy in the last match of the group stage.
"Before the match against Spain, the coach gave us some rest. We had only one workout and regeneration. Then we analyzed the team of Spain in tactical terms," said Poland captain Agnieszka Kakolewska while Nawrocki said that his players are very well prepared for the game.
In the first set, Poland had severe problems in the reception. However, Malwina Smarzek-Godek, who led the team to the victory over Italy, showed again that she is in good shape. The attacker was the leading scorer for the hosts and made the difference in the key moments. Nawrocki's team was driven by a massive Polish crowd, who supported their players from the first to the last ball. Spain tried hard to pull one back after losing two sets, but Poland continued their momentum and won in straight sets.
In the next stage, Poland will play against Germany. Russia, Netherlands, Serbia, Italy, Bulgaria, and Turkey were also among the last eight.
The tournament is played in four countries: Poland, Slovakia, Turkey, and Hungary. The final will take place on September 8 in Ankara, Turkey.
