Hosts Poland through to world volleyball semi-final
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
19.09.2014 09:12
Poland are through to the semi-finals of the World Volleyball Championships, after another five-set thriller, this time against arch-rivals and Olympic champions Russia.
Poland's Mariusz Wlazły (2L), Piotr Nowakowski (2P )and Michał Kubiak(P) block Russia's Dmitriy Ilinykh (L) during semifinal in Lodz, Thursday night: photo - PAP/Grzegorz Michałowski
Mariusz Wlazly was once again Poland's top scorer with 28 points, as the home side took the first two sets which secured their place in the last four after their win earlier against defending champions Brazil.
Russia came back from two sets behind to level the scores however, only for Poland to pull ahead in the final set, winning 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 22-25, 15-11) at the Atlas Arena.
Poland, who remain on track to become the first host nation to win the World Championships since Czechoslovakia in 1966, will now meet Germany in the semi-final in Katowice while Brazil take on France. (pg)