Canada thwarted Türkiye’s ambitious debut in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a come-from-behind victory in Antalya. In their first match of the 2024 tournament, Canada overcame an early deficit to secure a 3-1 win (17-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21).
Despite a strong start and fervent support from home fans at the Antalya Spor Salonu, Türkiye couldn’t maintain their momentum. Canada’s serving efficiency, highlighted by 12 aces compared to Türkiye’s five, proved decisive.
Stephen Maar led the Canadian charge with a match-high 24 points, including five aces and 19 kills. Teammates Lionel McCarthy and Eric Loeppky also contributed significantly, with McCarthy adding 14 points and Loeppky 12. Türkiye’s top scorers were Ramazan Efe Mandiraci, who scored 21 points, and Adis Lagumdzija with 17.
The victory earned Canada 6.86 points in the FIVB World Rankings, keeping them in 12th place and complicating Türkiye’s Olympic qualification hopes. Reigning Olympic champions France also secured a win on the opening day of Pool 1 action.
