The Netherlands U22 women's volleyball team secured the bronze medal at the U22 European Championship by defeating Spain in straight sets on Sunday afternoon, July 12, 2026.
The victory provided redemption for the Dutch squad, who had lost their tournament opener against the same opponent.
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According to Volleybalkrant.
nl, the Dutch team bounced back from a grueling semifinal loss to sweep Spain 3-0 with set scores of 25-21, 25-20, and 25-17.
The win marked a successful conclusion to the tournament for the youth squad in front of their home fans.
Key Performances in Bronze Medal Match
During the bronze medal match, Roos Wessels anchored the net defense with four kill blocks, while Yfke Jelsma contributed six points to reverse an early first-set deficit.
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In the second set, Saar Meijer delivered two aces and Sjakkie Donkers scored seven points to help the Netherlands edge out Spain in the final moments.
The Dutch team established full control mid-way through the third set, utilizing four aces and multiple kill blocks to dismantle the Spanish defense.
Meijer led the overall scoring for the Netherlands with 15 points, followed by Jelsma with 12 points and Donkers with 11 points.
Semifinal Defeat
The podium finish followed a narrow 3-2 defeat against Serbia in the semifinals, where the Netherlands lost 25-27, 25-20, 28-26, 22-25, and 12-15.
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Serbian diagonal Milica Vidacic proved decisive in that match, scoring 26 points to eliminate the host nation from championship contention.
