Istanbul's Eczacıbaşı Dynavit emerged victorious in a nail-biting showdown during the 2023 Women's Volleyball Club World Championship, held in Hangzhou, China, this Sunday.
In a gripping all-Turkish final, Eczacıbaşı overcame a formidable challenge from VakıfBank, sealing the victory with a 3-2 triumph and sets of 19-25, 25-23, 25-23, 23-25 and 15-9.
The Serbian powerhouse, Tijana Boskovic, demonstrated her exceptional skills by contributing 27 points, including an impressive 25 attack points, propelling Eczacıbaşı to success.
Turkish outside hitters Hande Baladin and Alexa Gray also made significant contributions, with 20 and 17 points, respectively.
VakıfBank's U.S. opposite spiker, Jordan Thompson, showcased an outstanding performance, amassing an impressive 33 points, including 31 attack points, making her the top scorer of the match.
However, Eczacıbaşı's collective effort and Boskovic's leadership ultimately secured the coveted title.
Recognizing her outstanding performance throughout the tournament, Tijana Boskovic was rightfully crowned MVP.
The post-final celebration saw Boskovic lift the championship cup alongside her ecstatic teammates as Eczacıbaşı's technical team and club employees joined in the jubilation.
Historic achievement
Under the guidance of head coach Ferhat Akbaş, Eczacıbaşı etched their name in history by clinching their third FIVB Women's World Club Championship.
Their previous victories in 2015 and 2016 were now complemented by this latest triumph, solidifying their status as a powerhouse in women's volleyball.
Despite the heartbreak of falling short in the final, VakıfBank showcased their resilience and skill, earning the silver medal for the third time in the FIVB Women's World Club Championship.
Their previous silver medals came in 2011 and 2022, with the 2023 final adding another chapter to their storied rivalry with Eczacıbaşı.
8th World Championship
With Eczacıbaşı's triumph, Turkish teams celebrated their eighth world championship, underscoring their dominance in women's volleyball since 2010.
This remarkable achievement included four championships by VakıfBank, one by Fenerbahçe Opet, and now three by Eczacıbaşı.
In a tournament featuring teams from five different countries, Türkiye asserted its prowess by securing a total of eight gold, four silver and six bronze medals.
VakıfBank's four championships, Eczacıbaşı's three and Fenerbahçe's one positioned Türkiye at the summit, surpassing the achievements of Brazil and Italy, each with three championships.
In Europe's secondary competitions, Turkish teams secured five championships in the Women's CEV Cup and four in the Women's CEV Challenge Cup.
Eczacıbaşı's triumphs in 2018 and 2022, alongside VakıfBank's success in 2004 and Fenerbahçe's victory in 2014, highlighted the breadth of Turkish teams' success.
Among the Turkish teams, VakıfBank emerged as the most successful, amassing a remarkable 12 trophies across the four major international volleyball competitions.
Eczacıbaşı followed with seven cups, Fenerbahçe with three, Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyespor with two and Yeşilyurt with one.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz extended congratulations to both Eczacıbaşı and VakıfBank for their commendable performances in the Volleyball FIVB Women's World Club Championship final.
Yılmaz expressed pride in the Turkish teams and wished continued success for Eczacıbaşı, the newly crowned champion, and VakıfBank, the runner-up on the world stage.