Vakifbank Istanbul Sweeps Club Worlds Title

2017 FIVB Women’s Club World Championship

• May 9-14, 2017
• Kobe, Japan
• Schedule
• Live Streaming

Gold Medal Match

Vakifbank Istanbul def. Rexona-SESC 25-19, 25-21, 25-21

Vakifbank wins its first Club World Championship title since 2013, second overall

Vakifbank completed its undefeated run through the Club World Championships with a 3-0 sweep of Rexona SESC Sunday morning. The Turkish side overpowered the Brazilians with 43 kills to 31 and 13 blocks to 7. Rexona wins its second silver at the Club Worlds, also falling to Vakifbank in 2013.

#FIVBWomensCWC Kobe 2017 Champions @VakifBankSK pic.twitter.com/O7rFGCa81t

— FIVB Volleyball (@FIVBWomensCWC) May 14, 2017

Outside Zhu Ting continued to lead Vakifbank, posting 19 points, including 16 kills and three blocks. American Kim Hill chipped in 13 points, with 12 kills and an ace. Lonneke Sloetjes added 11 points, including eight kills, while Milena Rasic tallied 10 points, including a team-best six blocks.

Monique Pavao was the lone Rexona played with double-digit points, managing nine kills and an ace. Gabriela Guimaraes added nine points, including seven kills and two blocks, while Drussyla Costa registered eight points, with six kills, a block and an ace.

And with that, @VakifBankSK are #FIVBWomensCWC 2017 Champions! pic.twitter.com/nZBbDBFoxL

— FIVB Volleyball (@FIVBWomensCWC) May 14, 2017

The teams trade points over the first 10 serves of the match, but Vakifbank soon built a 14-8 edge. An ace pushed the lead to 19-12 and the Turkish side maintained the edge en route to the 25-19 win.

Rexona grabbed an early 11-7 lead in Set 2. Down 13-8, Vakifbank called timeout and rallied to tied things up at 16-all on a Hill putaway. Rexona led again at 20-19, but Vakifbank stole away the win on a kill by Sloetjes. Ting chipped in seven points in the stanza.

Ting stuffed a Rexona shot to give Vakifbank a 7-4 advantage in Set 3. The teams were tied at 7-all after a pair of Roberta aces. A hitting error put Rexona up 10-8, but kills by Hill and Sloetjes and a stuff by Ting made it 15-12 Vakifbank. The Brazilians did not go away quietly, however, knotting the score at 19 on a Guimareas kill. Vakifbank, however clinched the title at 25-21, scoring four of the final five points. Hill sealed the win with her 12th kill of the night.

They put pressure on their serve and we could not manage to defend it,” Rexona coach Bernardo Rezende said. “We were up and down in this match, while they did better in key moments. They deserved to win.”

Bir zafer daha! Avrupa ve Dünya Şampiyonu VakıfBank! pic.twitter.com/eaAiUQrBRM

— VakıfBankSporKulübü (@VakifBankSK) May 14, 2017