Vodafone Sultanlar League champions VakıfBank won 3-2 away at Fenerbahçe Medicana. As yellow and blacks go on without defeat, Marina Markova scored 37 points to be the top scorer of the match. Tijana Boskovic also contributed double digits with 14 points.
Vodafone Sultanlar League leaders VakıfBank secured their 10th consecutive victory by defeating hosts Fenerbahçe Medicana 3-2. Marina Markova scored 37 points for VakıfBank, while Tijana Boskovic also contributed a double-digit score with 14 points.
The first set went to Fenerbahçe 25-14. VakıfBank entered the second set 5-1, then after 13-11, Cansu Özbay's service run got them five consecutive points to take the score to 18-11. The yellow and blacks won the set 25-21 in 31 minutes, with Marina Markova scoring 5 points, bringing the score to 1-1. Fenerbahçe won the third set 25-17. VakıfBank started the fourth set 6-1, then increased their effectiveness at the net after the score evened out. VakıfBank won the set 25-23, with Marina Markova scoring 11 points, taking the match to a fifth set: 2-2. VakıfBank also won the final set 15-13, securing a 3-2 victory in the match and maintaining their lead.
Giovanni Guidetti: “We are VakıfBank, we never give up”
VakıfBank Head Coach Giovanni Guidetti made the following remarks after the match: “I think volleyball was the winner today because both sides played very well. The spectators witnessed incredible volleyball. I congratulate my team because we never gave up believing, we never gave up fighting. We are VakıfBank; we never give up. We love comebacks.”
Marina Markova: “You don't see moments like this every day”
Marina Markova, who shone with 37 points, said after the match: “It was a very tough match. We didn’t expect anything less from Fenerbahçe. We tried to correct the mistakes we made in our previous match against Fenerbahçe. The fifth set was incredible. You don’t always see moments like this in volleyball. We’re very happy we won.”
The league streak against Fenerbahçe has risen to four matches
VakıfBank has won its fourth consecutive league match against Fenerbahçe Medicana. The yellow and blacks had also managed to emerge victorious from all three matches they played against their rivals in last season's playoff final series.
Achieved 10 out of 10 for the third time in the last six seasons
VakıfBank has managed to win the first 10 matches of the season for the third time in the last six seasons of the Sultanlar League. The yellow and blacks had previously achieved this feat in the 2020-2021 and 2023-2024 seasons.
Their winning streak in the league has now reached 21 matches
VakıfBank secured their 21st consecutive victory in the Sultanlar League with their win against Fenerbahçe. The yellow and blacks, who have won all 10 matches played this season, were also victorious in all last 11 matches they played last season, when they clinched the championship.
VakıfBank will face Nilüfer Bld. at the VakıfBank Spor Sarayı on Sunday, 14 December at 2:00 pm for its next Vodafone Sultanlar League match.
VENUE: Burhan Felek Vestel Voleybol Salonu
REFEREE: Seçkin Yener, Selçuk Görmen
FENERBAHÇE MEDICANA: Aslı Kalaç 7, Melissa Vargas 21, Hande Baladın 16, Erda Erdem Dündar 16, Alessia Orro 4, Arina Fedorovtseva 26, Gizem Örge (L)
VAKIFBANK: Cansu Özbay 3, Marina Markova 36, Zehra Güneş 3, Tijana Boskovic 14, Helena Cazaute 6, Deniz Uyanık 5, Ayça Aykaç Altıntaş (L), Aylin Sarıoğlu Acar (L), Derya Cebecioğlu 1, Katarina Dangubic 3
SETS: 25-14, 21-25, 25-17, 23-25, 13-15
SET DURATIONS: 20’, 31’, 23’, 30’, 23’
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