The last European Champion VakıfBank defeated Italian side Vero Volley MILANO 3-2 after the 3-0 win in the first match of the CEV Champions League quarter-finals and made their name in the semi-finals for the 11th consecutive season.
While 25-18 Milano representative won the first set of the match; VakıfBank won the second set 25-22, and Vero Volley MILANO won the third set with the same score. Carrying the match to the final set with a score of 25-21 in the fourth set, VakıfBank won this set 15-11 and won the game 3-2.
Paola Egonu, who scored 36 points in VakıfBank, became the top scorer of the match and also won the most valuable player award. Kara Bajema scored 19 in the yellow-black team; Zehra Güneş reached double digits with 11 points.
As the team that won the most victories in the history of the CEV Champions League with 5 championships, VakıfBank made its mark in the semi-finals for the 11th consecutive season with this result. Yellow-blacks managed to reach the finals in 7 of the last 10 semi-finals.
With 157 victories, the last champion is the team that won the most matches in the history of the CEV Champions League and maintains the title of being the last team to win the cup in back-to-back seasons in this tournament.
VakıfBank's opponent in the CEV Champions League semi-finals will be the winner of the Fenerbahçe Opet - Imoco Conegliano match.
VERO VOLLEY MILANO - VAKIFBANK: 2-3
HALL: Allianz Cloud MILANO
REFEREES: Fabrice Collados – Ari Jokelainen
VERO VOLLEY MILANO: Jordan Larson 16, Raphaela Folie 8, Jordan Thompson 27, Miriam Sylla 8, Jovana Stevanovic 4, Alessia Orro 3, Parrocchiale Beatrice (L), Madgalena Stysak 4, Sonia Candi, Dana Rettke 3, Hanna Davyskiba 3
VAKIFBANK: Cansu Özbay 3, Gabi 9, Zehra Güneş 11, Paola Egonu 36, Kara Bajema 19, Chiaka Ogbogu 7, Ayça Aykaç (L), Aylin Acar (L), Derya Cebecioğlu, Buket Gülübay 2
SETS: 25-18, 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, 11-15
TIME: 25’, 29’, 34’, 30’, 15’
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