SERBIA WILL FIGHT FOR EUROPEAN GOLD: Our Young Volleyball Players Defeat the Netherlands After a Five-Set Thriller to Reach the Final!

Serbia’s U22 women’s volleyball team (players born in 2005 and younger) will play in the final of the third Women’s U22 European Championship, being held in The Hague. Their opponent in Sunday’s final, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., will be Italy.

Marijana Boričić’s team defeated the Netherlands 3-2 in Saturday’s semifinal, winning by set scores of 28:26, 20:25, 26:28, 25:22, 15:12. The match lasted 153 minutes.

In the opening set, the Netherlands led 9:4, 16:11, 21:15, and even 23:19, but Serbia mounted an impressive comeback. The Serbian players first saved two consecutive set points at 24:22 before converting their third set point to take a 1-0 lead in the match at 28:26.

The second set is one Serbia will want to forget as quickly as possible. Serbia stormed out to a 7:0 lead and later held advantages of 11:2 and 14:5, but even that proved insufficient for a comfortable finish. After leading 20:16, the Dutch, with Meijer serving, reeled off nine consecutive points to level the match at 1-1 by winning the set 25:20.

The match was filled with excitement and, at times, remarkable comebacks.

Marijana Boričić’s squad also controlled much of the third set, leading 19:15, 20:17, and 22:20. However, Serbia once again faltered late in the set. The hosts saved one Serbian set point before converting their second opportunity to take a 2-1 lead with a 28:26 victory.

Fortunately, the heartbreaking losses in the second and third sets did not discourage Serbia. The Serbian players regrouped, took control once again, and maintained the lead throughout most of the fourth set. After the score was tied at 20:20, they shifted into another gear to force a deciding set with a 25:22 win.

The fifth set was another fierce battle. Serbia built an early 4:1 advantage, but the Netherlands quickly leveled the score, and the teams traded points. The hosts led 9:8 before Serbia, thanks to calmer and more precise play, produced a 3-0 run to move ahead 11:9 and take a decisive step toward the final. Vidačić and Korolija sealed the victory, sparking jubilant celebrations on the court.

For Serbia, Milica Vidačić led the way with 26 points, attacking at a 37 percent success rate (22-for-59) while committing only two attacking errors. Lana Mijačić also shined with 17 points (14 kills, two blocks, one ace), while Simona Mateska added 11.

The rest of the Serbian squad also made valuable contributions, including setter Teodora Kričković, who recorded three aces in 29 serves, Teodora Skočajić (10 points), Anja Mihajlović (7), libero Višnja Žigić, and substitute Dragana Korolija, whose six points proved crucial. Marija Babalj, Andrea Simovski, Katarina Gagić, and Miona Tasić also saw action, while Milica Burka and Đurđa Stanojević did not play.

For the Netherlands, Sjaki Donkers scored 21 points, Ifke Jelsma added 17, and Saar Meijer finished with 16. The Dutch team will face Spain in Sunday’s bronze medal match.

The European Championship final between Italy and Serbia is scheduled for Sunday at 6:30 p.m.