Poland Women vs Turkey Women – Friendly International Women (May 22, 2026)

A thrilling five-set encounter saw Turkey Women overcome Poland Women 3-2 (26-24, 18-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12) in a friendly held at the Ergo Arena in Gdańsk, Poland. The match offered a preview of two of Europe’s top women’s volleyball programs, with both sides showing depth and quality ahead of the upcoming VNL and European Championship cycle.

Match Overview

Turkey drew first blood with a narrow 26-24 win in the opener, powered by strong serving and clutch defense. Poland responded emphatically in the second set, dominating from start to finish to level at 1-1. Turkey regained control in the third set before Poland’s fighting spirit forced another tie with a 25-23 fourth-set victory. In the final set, Turkey’s experience shone through as they built an early 8-4 lead and held off a late Polish surge to close out 15-12.

Key Moments

• First-set thriller: Poland saved two set points at 24-23, but Turkey’s Ebrar Karakurt smashed a back-row attack to seal the set 26-24.
• Poland’s middle-block dominance: In the second set, Poland’s Agnieszka Kąkolewska and Joanna Staniucha combined for five blocks, limiting Turkey’s attack to just 8 kills.
• Deciding-set composure: With Poland trailing 10-12 in the fifth, Turkish captain Eda Erdem Dündar delivered a crucial stuff block and a tip winner to stretch the lead to 14-11, effectively sealing the match.

Standout Performers

Turkey Women: Opposite Ebrar Karakurt was unstoppable with 27 points (24 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace). Setter Cansu Özbay distributed 53 assists and added two service winners. Libero Gizem Örge posted a 65% reception rate, allowing Turkey to run a fast offense.

Poland Women: Outside hitter Magdalena Stysiak tallied 23 points, while middle blocker Kąkolewska added 11 with 5 blocks. Poland’s passing efficiency dropped in the final set (only 38% positive reception), which hindered their ability to attack effectively.

Season Impact

Both teams used this friendly to experiment with lineups and rotations. Turkey’s victory underlines their depth and ability to win in hostile environments, while Poland will take encouragement from pushing a top-5 side to five sets. The two countries are scheduled to meet again in the preliminary round of the 2026 Nations League, making this result a useful psychological edge for the Turkish side.