Bursa’s women claim the Challenge Cup

The victory further cemented Turkey’s leading role on the European women’s volleyball scene, with Bursa Belediye’s success coming only one week after Turkish teams Eczacıbaşi VitrA and VakıfBank claimed gold and bronze, respectively, at the Final Four tournament of the 2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League. 

Bursa’s star player, Meryem Boz, who recorded a terrific haul of 35 points in the game, was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the finals.  

Uralochka, one of the most decorated volleyball teams in history, started out strong and claimed a close first set, asserting its intention to back up the speedy home win it had claimed last week. However, as the match progressed, the home heroines of Bursa Belediye lived up to their pre-match statements, fighting bravely for every single ball and sweeping three sets in a row to call for the golden set. 

Though they initially trailed, with Uralochka going up by two points at 3:5, Bursa was able to fight their way to the top again. After more than two hours of play, they got the party started with their 3,500 fans in attendance at Cengiz Göllü sports hall.   

“We really wanted this victory so badly and in the end, we got the trophy we desired so much,” said Bursa Belediye captain Zeynep Seda Eryüz. 

“We always knew we had a chance, we believed in ourselves even after the big loss in Russia and in the end, we won,” said the home side’s coach, Emin İmen. “I want to thank our supporters for the great ambiance they contributed today.”

Bursa Belediye claimed Turkey’s second triumph in the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup since the competition began. In 2008, Vakıfbank Güneş Sigorta had topped the charts after edging past Italy’s Infoplus Minetti Imola in the final match.