Eczacıbaşı flies to CEV Cup quarterfinals

ISTANBUL

Turkish women’s volleyball team Eczacıbaşı VitrA beat Yamamay e-work Busto Arsizo of Italy 3-1 (20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 26-24) to secure a spot amongst the top eight of the CEV Cup where it will be playing Yenisei Krasnoyarsk of Russia.

Yamamay caught a promising start to the match taking the first set by recording five blocks (with three registered by Beatrice Berti) and Valentina Diouf scoring eight points for a 54 percent success rate in attack.

With Maja Ognjenovic and Güldeniz Önal taking to the court, Eczacıbaşı played much better in the second set. Tijana Boskovic scored seven points, including three blocks, in this set.

Önal and Boskovic contributed to a massive 11-2 lead for the visitors in the third set.

The team coached by Marco Aurelio Motta continued to play better than Yamamay and secured its promotion to the next round with another nine points from Boskovic and seven from Rachael Adams.

“This was an early final, we knew it would have been a difficult game, but the victory in the first match made us play quieter today,” Eczacıbaşı coach Marco Aurelio after the game.

“Busto Arsizio played a great first set, then we started to block and the game changed its course for the better for us.”

Yamamay coach Marco Mencarelli said his side had many problems with its services and blocks.

“In the second and third sets there was a bit of discouragement on our part as we realized the superiority of our opponent,” he added.