Türkiye have retained their European women’s volleyball title after beating Italy 3-2 in Istanbul on Sunday. The hosts defeated the reigning world and Olympic champions in a dramatic five-set CEV EuroVolley Women final.
Italy controlled the opening set from the start. After a 6-6 tie, the Italians moved ahead 11-8 and forced Türkiye to call timeout. Italy then stretched the lead to 18-9 before closing the set 25-16.
Türkiye Fight Back To Level Thrilling Final
Italy again started strongly in the second set, building leads of 9-5 and 12-6. However, Türkiye responded after another timeout, with Melissa Vargas and Eda Erdem driving the comeback.
The hosts eventually levelled the score at 15-15. Türkiye then moved ahead 22-20 and secured the set 25-22, despite Paola Egonu continuing to pose a major threat.
Italy regained momentum in the third set and quickly established an 8-2 advantage. Türkiye reduced the gap briefly, but Italy restored control and won the set 25-12.
Türkiye responded decisively in the fourth set. They opened with a 6-1 lead and later extended their advantage to 10-3. Italy fought back to 16-14, but Türkiye held firm and won 25-21.
Vargas Leads Türkiye To Decisive Victory
Türkiye carried their momentum into the deciding tiebreak and opened with a 2-0 lead. Italy levelled at 4-4, but the hosts quickly regained control and moved 8-4 ahead.
Türkiye continued to dominate and reached a 12-7 advantage. They then closed the tiebreak 15-10 to complete the 3-2 victory and secure back-to-back European titles.
Vargas and Egonu finished as the final’s joint top scorers. Both players produced 28 points, highlighting the intense individual battle that shaped the championship match. Their performances also underlined the high quality and competitiveness of the final throughout its five sets.
