Japan and South Korea couldn’t be further apart in the standings after Week 1 of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League. Japan are at the top after looking like the most dominant side with four consecutive wins, whereas South Korea have yet to win a match after four tries. Serbia join South Korea at the bottom with a 0-4 record.
Defending champions Italy are also off to a strong start with a 4-0 record alongside Turkey. Poland and Brazil are 3-1, and Germany, China, and the Netherlands hold the three other Top 8 spots, each with a 2-2 record. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Canada, and the Dominican Republic are also 2-2 so far.
Only eight of the 18 teams will qualify for the final round, so every game counts. A lot can still happen in the next few weeks, so SBOTOP volleyball fans should continue to get their fair share of Volleyball Nations League 2025 highlights.
Japan off to dominant start
Japan look poised for another podium finish in the Volleyball Nations League, though they’d prefer to win it all this time. Last year’s silver medalists have yet to drop a set in the matches they’ve played in Ottawa, Canada, cruising past the Netherlands, Serbia, Canada, and the Dominican Republic in their wake.
Ferhat Akbas’ women are coming off a 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-9) victory last Sunday. Outside hitter and new team captain Mayu Ishikawa led the Japanese with a match-high 20 points (17 kills and three aces). Fellow outside hitter Yoshino Sato was also impeccable, notching 19 points (17 kills and two aces) against the Queens of the Caribbean. Opposite Gaila Gonzalez produced 14 (11 kills, two blocks, and one ace) for the Dominican Republic in the losing effort.
“It’s been really great to see that we’re finding our way as a team,” middle blocker Airi Miyabe remarked. “Our system has been working pretty well, and the key is to keep doing what has been working for us. We’re all really excited and it was a very good start to take us to week two. We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next week, but we’ll do what we got to do.”
With their 4-0 start, Japan moved up from seventh to fifth in the FIVB World Rankings after accumulating 26.38 points. They can leapfrog Turkey and Poland in Week 2.
Italy also undefeated in Week 1
Italy’s title defense is off to an auspicious start, as they won their first four matches in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After thrilling games against the USA, Germany, and South Korea, the Azzurri capped it off with a statement win against the hosts.
In the 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 29-27) victory last Sunday, the Italians silenced a crowd of around 10,000 fans Maracanãzinho Stadium. Italy capitalized on Brazil’s miscues, scoring 23 points from their mistakes while giving up just 11 on the other hand. Each team scored 42 points in kills. Italy led in blocks (nine to seven), while Brazil had more aces (seven to five).
Reigning Olympics MVP Paola Egonu led the Italians with 14 points (11 kills, two blocks, and the match-winning ace). Outside hitter Alice Degradi recorded 10 points (eight kills, one block, and one ace). Outside hitter Ana Cristina Souza had 16 points (13 kills, two aces, and one block). Middle blocker Julia Kudiess and outside hitter Julia Bergmann added 11 points each in the losing effort for Brazil.
Italy compiled 14.53 points in Week 1 to improve their tally to 451.55 FIVB World Ranking points. They stayed at the top of the table with a 44.56-point cushion over second-seeded Brazil.
South Korea can’t buy a win
South Korea’s Volleyball Nations League 2025 odds of qualifying for the final round have taken a massive hit after dropping their first four matches against Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, and the USA in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
South Korea are coming off a 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17) defeat against the Americans yesterday. Outside hitter and team captain Kang So-Hwi was their leading scorer with eight points (seven kills and one block). Outside Le Seon-Woo had seven points (five kills and two aces), and outside hitter Yuk Seo-Young posted six points (five kills and one block) in the losing effort.
Amber Igiede was the best player on the court. The star middle blocker had a match-high 17 points (seven kills, nine blocks, and one ace), and she received support from outside Madisen Skinner (15 points) and outside hitter Sarah Franklin (14 points).
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