Spain W vs Hungary W

Spain seized control of the opening set from the outset, building a five-point cushion at 16-11 and extending it to 20-16. Hungary mounted a late surge from the service line, but a double substitution — Raquel Lázaro and Jimena Fernández entering the court — steadied Spain, who closed 25-22.

The second set was Spain's most emphatic. The home side registered 19 attacking points, overwhelming the Hungarian block and defence. Hungary had no answer to Spain's rhythm in transition, and the set ended 25-21.

Hungary adjusted their blocking in the third set and came out with greater precision, making life harder for the Spanish attack. But opposite hitter Julia de Paula led Spain's counter-attacking response, and the hosts never relinquished their advantage, sealing the set and match 25-22.

By prior agreement between both coaching staffs, two extra sets were played after the official result. Hungary won those 25-16 and 25-20, giving both benches extended minutes for squad players.

The third set was where the match could have swung. Hungary's block finally found its range early in the period, and the visitors' passing improved, putting Spain under rare pressure. But Julia de Paula's ability to score from the right side in transition — combined with Spain's service pressure — prevented Hungary from ever taking the lead. Once Spain reached 20-18, the momentum never shifted back.

Julia de Paula (Spain) — The opposite hitter was Spain's most reliable offensive weapon, particularly in the crucial third set. Her ability to terminate in transition kept Hungary's block honest and opened up the rest of the court. Player of the match.

Patricia Aranda (Spain) — The experienced setter distributed efficiently across the front row, enabling Spain's 19-attack-point second set and keeping Hungary's defence guessing.

Lucía Varela and María Schlegel (Spain) — The middle blocker duo contributed crucial points from quick attacks and early blocks that set the tone in the first two sets.

Lilla Kiss (Hungary) — Hungary's most consistent attacking threat, Kiss tried to drag her side back into the match but lacked sufficient support from the service line and pin hitters.

Spain's 19 attacking points in the second set alone underlined their advantage in transition offence. The set scores — all decided by three or four points — reflect a match that was tighter than the 3-0 scoreline suggests. Hungary's improved blocking in the third set (which held Spain to 25-22 rather than the wider margins of the first two sets) was the visitors' best spell, but they could not sustain it. Hungary comfortably won both extra sets (25-16, 25-20) after Spain rotated heavily, suggesting depth remains an area where the gap is narrower — but Spain's first six were clearly superior on the day.

Spain conclude their EuroVolley 2026 preparation with two wins from two against Hungary (3-1 on 16 August, 3-0 on 17 August). The squad travels to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the EuroVolley 2026 finals — Spain's ninth appearance in the continental championship and fourth consecutive. They will face Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania and hosts Azerbaijan in the group stage.

Hungary also continue their own EuroVolley preparation programme.

Spain's next match: EuroVolley 2026 group stage (date TBC, Baku, Azerbaijan)

Hungary's next match: EuroVolley 2026 preparations continue

A professional, controlled performance from Spain that told us more about their readiness than the scoreline alone suggests. The starting six are well-drilled, Julia de Paula is in form, and the defensive system built around libero Patricia Llabrés is functioning well. Hungary will take encouragement from their block in the third set but need more from the wider attacking group to compete at the EuroVolley level.