Jovana Stevanovic erupts in joy with her teammates as Pomi Casalmaggiore take down Volero Zurich for a spot in the final of the 2016 FIVB Club World Championship in Manila.
Manila, Philippines, October 22, 2016 - Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul of Turkey and Pomi Casalmaggiore of Italy set up a 2016 FIVB Women's Club World Championship final truly worthy of their status as defending world champions and reigning European champions respectively, as they stormed Saturday's semifinals to advance to Sunday's game for the ultimate club trophy in the world.
Eczacibasi can become on Sunday the only club in the history of the compeititon to claim the title for a second time. Last year in Zurich they became the third Turkish club to become world champions, after crosstown Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce in 2010 in Doha and VakifBank in 2013 in Zurich.
Pomi can become the second Italian club to claim the title since Il Messaggero Teodora Ravenna won the gold in 1992 in Jesi. They are already the third Italian club in a World Championship after Parmalat Matera lost the 1994 final to Leite Moca Sorocaba in Sao Paulo.
Pomi can also keep up the tradition of the past three years that sees the reigning Europea champions also take the world title, as happened with VakifBank in 2013, Dinamo Kazan in 2014 and Eczacibasi in 2015.
In Saturday's semifinals in Manila, the highly anticipated Istanbul derby provided plenty of drama, especially in the first set, which saw both sides exchange extensive runs only to end with back-to-back aces from Maja Ognjenovic to set the tone. VakifBank came back to tie the score at one set apiece, but Eczacibasi reacted to take the next two and
end the game in four.
To wrap up the day, Pomi Casalmaggiore bounced back after losing the first set to last year's bronze medallists Volero Zurich with a brilliant performance across the board to sweep the next three for a
dominating 3-1 victory.
This leaves Volero to play in their fourth bronze medal game in as many years. They lost the first two, before beating Rexona-AdeS Rio for last year's bronze.
In the matches for positions 5 to 8, Rexona Sec Rio de Janeiro began their thankless task of finishing 5th successfully with a
straight-set sweep of Bangkok Glass - though it's too late to better their previous finishes of silver in 2013 and fourth in 2015.
They will face the hosts of next year's edition of the FIVB Women's Club World Championship Hisamitsu Springs Kobe, who
shut out the local Manila side of PSL-F2 Logistics on Saturday.
PSL-F2 Logistics Manila or Bangkok Glass will be registering their first win of the tournament on Monday, when they clash for 7th place.
Summary Statistics - Manila 2016Highest Scorer by Day27 - Zhu Ting of VakifBank Istanbul v Hisamitsu Springs Kobe on 18 October
29 - Gabi Guimaraes of Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro v Pomi Casalmaggiore on 19 October
31 - Zhu Ting of VakifBank Istanbul v Volero Zurich on 20 October
23 - Neslihan Demir of Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v PSL - F2 Logistics Manila on 21 October
23 - Zhu Ting of VakifBank Istanbul v Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul & Samanta Fabris of Pomi Casalmaggiore v Volero Zurich on 22 October
Top Scoring Performances31 - Zhu Ting of VakifBank Istanbul v Volero Zurich on 20 October
30 - Olesia Rykhliuk of Volero Zurich v VakifBank Istanbul on 20 October
29 - Gabi Guimaraes of Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro v Pomi Casalmaggiore on 19 October
28 - Zhu Ting of VakifBank Istanbul v Hisamitsu Springs Kobe on 18 October
28 - Tijana Boskovic of Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro on 20 October
Top Individual Blocking Performances10 - Carol Silva of Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro v PSL - F2 Logistics Manila on October 18
10 - Milena Rasic of VakifBank Istanbul v Volero Zurich on October 20
9 - Zhu Ting of VakifBank Istanbul v Hisamitsu Springs Kobe on 18 October
7 - Tijana Boskovic of Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro on 20 October
6 - Milena Rasic of VakifBank Istanbul v Hisamitsu Springs Kobe on 18 October
Top Individual Serving Performances5 - Neslihan Demir of Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v PSL - F2 Logistics Manila on 21 October
5 - Gozde Yilmaz of Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v PSL - F2 Logistics Manila on 21 October
4 - Dobriana Rabadzhieva of Volero Zurich v VakifBank Istanbul on 20 October
4 - Zhu Ting of VakifBank Istanbul v Volero Zurich on 20 October
4 - Alyja Santiago of PSL - F2 Logistcs Manila v Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul on 21 October
4 - Maja Ognjenovic of Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v VakifBank Istanbul on 22 October
4 - Lindsay Stalzer of PSL - F2 Logistics Manila v Hisamitsu Springs Kobe on 22 October
4 - Olesia Rykhliuk of Volero Zurich v Pomi Casalmaggiore on 22 October
Top Team Blocking Performances27 - VakifBank Istanbul v Hisamitsu Springs Kobe on 18 October
22 - Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro on 20 October
15 - Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro v PSL - F2 Logistics Manila on 18 October
18 - VakifBank Istanbul v Volero Zurich on 20 October
15 - Pomi Casalmaggiore v Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro on 19 October
15 - Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro v Pomi Casalmaggiore on 19 October
Top Team Serving Performances14 - Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v PSL - F2 Logistics Manila on 21 October
11 - Volero Zurich v VakifBank Istanbul on 20 October
11 - Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v VakifBank Istanbul on 22 October
9 - Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro v PSL F2 Logistics Manila on 18 October
7 - Pomi Casalmaggiore v Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro on 19 October
7 - PSL - F2 Logistics Manila v Hisamitsu Springs Kobe on 22 October
7 - Pomi Casalmaggiore v Volero Zurich on 22 October
Highest Scoring Sets31-29 - Hisamitsu Springs v VakifBank Istanbul on 18 October
27-25 - Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro v Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul on 20 October
27-25 - Volero Zurich v VakifBank Istanbul on 20 October
27-25 - Volero Zurich v Pomi Casalmaggiore on 22 October
Highest Scoring Matches212 - Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul v Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro on October 20
210 - Pomi Casalmaggiore v Rexona Sesc Rio de Janeiro on 19 October
207 - Volero Zurich v VakifBank Istanbul on 20 October
190 - Pomi Casalmaggiore v Volero Zurich on 22 October
183 - VakifBank Istanbul v Hisamitsu Springs Kobe on 18 October
182 - Eczacibas VitrA Istanbul v VakifBank Istanbul on 22 October
Quick links:-
FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship Manila 2016 - Website-
FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship Manila 2016 - Results & Schedule-
FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship Manila 2016 - Teams