VakıfBank Istanbul continued their winning streak at the 2023 FIVB Club World Championship, securing a spot in the semifinals as a Pool B leader. VakifBank faced off against the Brazilian Dentil Praia Clube in their second group match and emerged victorious with a 3-0 win.
The tournament, hosted in Hangzhou, China, saw VakıfBank demonstrate their prowess right from the outset. They concluded the first set with a commanding 25-16 lead against the South American champions. The team’s strength was particularly evident in the second set, where they executed an impressive 9 blocks, limiting their opponents to just 14 points and taking the set score to 2-0. They maintained this momentum in the final set, winning it 25-19, and completing the match without losing a single set. Notably, VakıfBank managed to keep their opponents below 20 points in each set throughout their group matches.
Jordan Thompson shone as the top scorer for VakıfBank, earning 17 points, followed by notable contributions from teammates Gabi (12 points), Chiaka Ogbogu (8 points), Zehra Güneş (7 points), and Ali Frantti (6 points).
VakıfBank’s Head Coach, Giovanni Guidetti, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly praising their effectiveness in blocking. “I am pleased with today’s match. My players excelled in every aspect of the game. Our focus was incredibly high in all areas. We were especially effective in blocks, totaling 13 in the game. All players were in good condition and appeared ready for the challenge,” Guidetti commented.
Looking ahead, VakıfBank is set to compete against the team that finished second in Group A in the semifinals, while Dentil Praia Clube awaits the Pool A leader. The critical matches are scheduled for Saturday, December 16, with the third-place and final matches to follow on Sunday, December 17.
Match Summary
- VakıfBank vs Dentil Praia Clube: 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-19)
- VakıfBank Players’ Scores: Cansu Özbay (2), Gabi (12), Zehra Güneş (7), Jordan Thompson (17), Ali Frantti (6), Chiaka Ogbogu (8), Ayça Aykaç (L, Aleksia Karutasu (3)
- Dentil Praia Clube Players’ Scores: Rabadzhieva Dobriana (3), Milka Marcília (2), Tainara Santos (17), Sofya Kuznetsova (6), Lorena Viezel (9), Claudia Bueno (1), Ara Araujo Natalia (L), Rioas Nainane, Monique Pavao (1)
