--- title: "Ukraine vs Japan in the 2026 VNL: A bright start, a missed chance, and the fight for top-14" description: "Ukraine lost to Japan in the 2026 VNL (1:3), but showed a bright start in the second set πŸ”₯πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅. Milenko and Melushkina became the top scorers. Next match β€” against France on June 7! 🏐πŸ’ͺ" date: 2026-06-06T10:46:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-vs-japan-in-the-2026-vnl-a-bright-start-a-missed-chance-and-the-fight-for-top-14 tags: [] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ukraine vs Japan in the 2026 VNL: A bright start, a missed chance, and the fight for top-14 ![Ukrainian volleyball team players celebrate victory against Japan at the 2026 Volleyball Nations League](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/06/ukraina-protiv-yaponii-v-lige-natsii-2026-yarkiy-start-i-upushhennyi-shans/ukraina-protiv-yaponii-v-lige-natsii-2026-yarkiy-start-i-upushhennyi-shans-1.webp) The Ukrainian women's national volleyball team played their third match in the debut season of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League (VNL). The team, coached by Yakub Glushak, faced one of the world's strongest teams β€” Japan. In a tense battle, the Ukrainian team lost to their opponents with a score of 1:3 in sets. ### Even start and decisive series The match began with an even struggle. In the first set, the score remained tight for a long time, and at 18:18 it seemed that the outcome of the set would be decided in the final moments. However, the Japanese volleyball players managed to execute a series of four consecutive breaks and confidently won the first set with a score of 25:20. This was already the second head-to-head meeting between the teams in the last year β€” at the 2025 World Championship, the Ukrainian team also lost in five sets. ### Explosive surge in the second set The Ukrainian team made a real splash at the beginning of the second set. Thanks to powerful blocking and high concentration, they achieved a 7:0 run, completely seizing the initiative. The opponents could not adapt to such pressure, and the Ukrainian team crushed them with a 9-point difference β€” 25:16. ### Loss of tempo and defeat Unfortunately, the team failed to maintain the winning momentum. In the third set, the Japanese players easily regained control of the game, winning the set with a score of 25:16. The fourth set followed a similar pattern β€” the Asian team brought the matter to a logical victory, ending the match with a score of 25:20. ### Top scorers The most productive player in the Ukrainian national team was outside hitter Alexandra Milenko, who scored 17 points. The second most productive player was middle blocker Diana Melushkina, who recorded 13 points to her credit. ### Tournament standing and upcoming matches By the end of the day, the Ukrainian national team, with two points to its credit, occupies 14th place in the overall tournament table among 16 elite teams. Poland became the sole leader of the season, winning all three opening matches. The "blue and yellows" will play their next match on Sunday, June 7, at 18:00 Kyiv time. The Ukrainian team's opponents will be the French volleyball players, who the day before lost to the USA in a loud thriller with a score of 2:3. Earlier, we published the full schedule of matches and broadcasts of the Ukrainian women's national team in the debut season of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League.