Bulgaria’s U19 women’s volleyball team delivered a remarkable performance at the World Championship in Osijek, Croatia,  claiming a dramatic 3:2 victory (25:15, 16:25, 27:25, 13:25, 15:5) over the reigning champions, the United States. This was their fourth match in the group stage and their third win overall, securing a place in the round of 16.

Led by head coach Atanas Petrov, the Bulgarian team had already notched wins against Spain (3:0) and Turkey (3:2), a finalist in the previous world championship. Their only defeat came in the opening match against another tournament favorite, Poland, with a score of 1:3. Their final group match will be against Peru, currently the outsider in the group.

The latest win against the USA not only boosts team morale but also guarantees Bulgaria a spot in the elimination phase. A victory in their last group game could set them up for a more favorable draw, likely facing one of the lower-ranked teams from Group A - currently topped by Croatia and Germany, followed by teams like Mexico, Egypt, Thailand, or Canada.

Kalina Veneva topped the scoring for Bulgaria with 18 points. Darina Naneva added 15, Denitsa Angelova 14, and both Nikol Okoro and Vyara Parapunova contributed 10 points each. Edna Todorova scored four, while setter Daria Ivanova impressed with two aces.

Coach Petrov started the game with a lineup of Dimana Ivanova, Parapunova, Naneva, Okoro, Veneva, Angelova, and libero Viktoria Ninova.

The opening set began evenly, but after a 9:8 lead, Bulgaria found their rhythm and surged ahead. The Americans struggled to keep up as the Bulgarian team built a commanding lead, eventually closing the set 25:15. They registered 3 aces, 3 blocks, and 15 successful attacks in the opener, with Naneva particularly outstanding, scoring 8 points through a mix of service and net play.

The second set turned the tide. After a brief Bulgarian lead at 2:1, the Americans put together a four-point run to go ahead. Bulgaria leveled the score at 7:7, and the set remained tight until the USA began to pull away at 12:10. This time, it was Bulgaria who faltered as the Americans pushed forward and leveled the match with a 25:16 set win, despite strong showings from Parapunova and Veneva.

In the third set, Bulgaria started with confidence, moving ahead 6:3, then stretching the lead to 10:5. But the defending champions weren’t out yet, slowly closing the gap to tie at 14:14. Bulgaria responded with grit and went up 19:16, only to face another late American push. The final phase of the set was a tense exchange of match points, but on their third attempt, Bulgaria closed it 27:25. Angelova and Veneva each scored 5 points in the set, with Okoro adding 4.

The fourth set saw the momentum swing once more. After a 2:2 start, the Americans rattled off five consecutive points and built an insurmountable lead. Bulgaria trailed at every turn - 3:9, 4:11, 5:15 - and the USA forced a deciding fifth set with a 25:13 rout.

However, Bulgaria regrouped impressively for the tiebreak. They came out sharp and focused, quickly moving to a 2:0 lead. From there, they maintained control, gradually widening the gap to 5:2, then launching into a scoring streak that took them to 9:3. The Americans managed two more points - 9:5 - but that would be all. Bulgaria sealed the set with six unanswered points, dominating the finish 15:5 to claim the match 3:2.

The win was met with jubilation, as the Bulgarian players celebrated in style - with a traditional horo dance and the national flag held high.