World No. 1 Poland escaped Canada in a tight 25-21, 25-23, 27-25 victory in Week 3 of the men’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Saturday, July 8, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Poland celebrates a point in its game against Canada in the VNL on Saturday. (Volleyball World)

The Poles have steadily climbed to the No. 2 spot in the standings with a 9-2 record behind the top seed and unbeaten Japanese, which enjoy a 10-0 ahead of their anticipated thrilling match against Italy.

Poland and Japan clash on Sunday, July 9, to wrap up their preliminary campaign heading into the finals phase of the tournament that will be staged in the Poles’ home soil.

Kamil Semeniuk and Norbert Huber joined hands for Poland with 11 points apiece, while Lukasz Kaczmarek had 10 points of his own.

The Canadians kept knocking on the Poles’ door only to be turned away in each set.

Tied at 22-all in the third frame, Canada went on to put the match at a deadlock three more times in hopes of an extension.

But Semeniuk hammered down a crosscourt attack before the Poles went to the defensive by blocking Arthur Szwarc en route to their third consecutive win in the Philippine leg.

“Tomorrow (Sunday), we have a difficult game against Japan. We will go to the hotel to rest and start thinking about tomorrow,” said Kaczmarek.

Samuel Cooper and Szwarc combined for 35 points for Canada in the losing effort.

The Canadians absorbed a 2-9 slate in the No. 14 spot as they close out their campaign in the VNL against the equally struggling Chinese side on Sunday, July 9.