Boskovic's 29 points lead Serbia past Poland 3-1 after coach Terzić's temporary exit

Serbia's bronze medal match can be told through the number 29. That number belongs to Tijana Boskovic, yet its real value goes beyond the scoreboard. It arrived at the moment Serbia had to absorb an emotional shock when head coach Zoran Terzić temporarily left the technical area because of a health issue. Serbia did not dominate Poland for the whole match. They won 3-1, but only after losing the third set 15-25. The most important part is that Serbia did not collapse. They returned, won the fourth set 25-18 and closed the match with much better control. The official numbers show two sides of the same story. Serbia had opposite hitter Tijana Boskovic scoring 29 points, exactly one more than Poland's Magdalena Stysiak. Poland, on the other hand, relied almost entirely on Stysiak. Her scoring output dominates every piece of match data available. Serbia also received solid support from Aleksandra Uzelac with 15 points, while Kurtagić and Tica each added 12. Together, those three secondary scorers produced 39 points, more than Stysiak's total. This does not reduce Boskovic's brilliance, but it shows Serbia had a more balanced offence. The match was shaped by a key moment when Zoran Terzić left the bench. Official information did not reveal the exact nature of his health problem, but losing the head coach's voice during a decisive match is never small. Poland seized the opportunity and won the third set 25-15. In the fourth set, however, Serbia looked composed again. They won 25-18, proving that an empty seat in the coaching area does not necessarily mean chaos on the court. Without detailed statistics on reception efficiency, attack success rate or blocking, it is difficult to claim Poland were tactically inferior. Serbia won because they handled emotional pressure better. They did not win only because Boskovic was far better than Stysiak. They won because the rest of the roster performed better than Poland's other hitters in the decisive moments. In that sense, the bronze medal match was a lesson in team depth and emotional management. The gold medal match followed a similar theme. Melissa Vargas of Türkiye and Paola Egonu of Italy both scored 28 points. That coincidence highlights how modern elite women's volleyball is built around dominant opposites. Teams accept setting high and often to their stars in critical moments. Serbia demonstrated the same principle, but they did so with enough supporting scorers to keep Poland's blockers honest. Boskovic's 29-point performance also showed her maturity. She was not only a scorer; she became the team's anchor during a moment of uncertainty. Poland will need a broader attacking system in the future. Relying on Stysiak to carry almost all the scoring burden is a risk they cannot afford in longer tournaments. For Serbia, this bronze medal win is a reminder that resilience, not talent alone, decides the most unpredictable matches.