World No. 2 Japan fell short in its bid for a maiden Volleyball Nations League crown Sunday, losing 3-1 to Olympic champion France in the men's final.Captain Yuki Ishikawa and company nevertheless achieved the best finish by Japan's men in the VNL, moving a step up the podium after winning bronze in 2023.France opposite Jean Patry led all scorers with 24 points as he spearheaded his side to the 25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 25-23 victory at a packed Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland.Ishikawa had a team-high 17 points, all in kills, while opposite Yuji Nishida added 11 for Japan, which will have a long-awa…READ FULL ARTICLE