The Vodafone Sultanlar Ligi play-off semi-final round (1–4 bracket) tipped off with high drama and thrilling matchups. In the first round of the best-of-three series, Galatasaray Daikin edged out regular-season leaders Fenerbahçe Medicana in a five-set battle, while VakıfBank overpowered Eczacıbaşı Dynavit in four competitive sets.
Galatasaray hosted Fenerbahçe at the Burhan Felek Vestel Volleyball Hall, where the match went the distance. Despite strong performances by Melissa Vargas and Arina Fedorovtseva, Fenerbahçe fell 3-2 with set scores of 25-23, 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-10. Galatasaray now leads the series 1-0.
In the second semi-final, VakıfBank took a decisive 3-1 victory against Eczacıbaşı Dynavit on the road. Kiera Van Ryk and Marina Markova combined for 55 points, leading their side to a strong position heading into the second game. VakıfBank’s head coach Giovanni Guidetti praised his team for staying composed during long rallies.
Both second-leg matches will take place on Saturday, April 12. Fenerbahçe hosts Galatasaray at 13:30 (local time), followed by VakıfBank vs. Eczacıbaşı at 18:00 (local time).
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