COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 13, 2023) – Teammates battle in Türkiye and Kelsey (Robinson) Cook is named MVP for the second straight week.
TÜRKIYE
VakifBank (11-1) with outside hitter Ali Frantti, middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu and opposite Jordan Thompson needed five sets (25-12, 20-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-10) to beat setter Lauren Carlini and Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyespor on Dec. 2.
Frantti scored 16 points on 13 kills, two blocks and one ace. Ogbogu added 13 points on 10 kills (.692 hitting efficiency), two blocks and one ace. Thompson played as a substitute. Carlini scored six points on four kills and two blocks and set her team to a .395 hitting efficiency.
VakifBank will play in the Women’s Club World Champs on Dec. 12-18 in Hangzhou, China.
On Dec. 8, Carlini and Aydın Büyükşehir Belediyespor (4-8) fell to PTT 3-2 (17-25, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 15-11). Carlini scored a point with a kill.
Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons led all scorers with 17 points as her team Kuzeyboru beat Nilüfer Belediyespor 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-15) on Dec. 2. Wilhite Parsons scored on 15 kills (.560), one block and one ace.
On Dec. 9, Kuzeyboru (9-3) beat Sarıyer Belediyesi 3-2 (20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 24-26, 15-13). Wilhite Parsons scored 17 points on 17 kills. Outside hitter Simone Lee did not play for Sariyer (4-8).
Opposite Stephanie Samedy and Muratpaşa Bld. Sigorta Shop defeated Karayollari 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-17) on Dec. 1. Samedy scored 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.
On Dec. 9, Sigorta Shop (6-6) fell to Beşiktaş Ayos 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 25-23, 19-25, 15-12). Samedy scored 22 points on 22 kills.
Galatasaray Daikin with opposite Danielle Cuttino, outside hitter Logan Eggleston and middle blocker Heather Gneiting beat Beşiktaş Ayos 3-0 (16-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-12). Cuttino led all scorers with 23 points on 23 kills (.417). Gneiting scored eight points on six kills and two blocks. Eggleston started the first set and scored four points on four kills.
On Dec. 9, Daikin (5-7) beat Çukurova Belediyesi 3-2 (23-25, 19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 15-8). Eggleston led all scorers with 27 points on 25 kills, one block and one ace. Cuttino started the first two sets and scored six points on five kills and one block. Gneiting started the final four sets and scored seven points on five blocks, one kill and one ace.
ITALY
Outside hitter Kelsey (Robinson) Cook was named match MVP for the second straight week as Prosseco Doc Imoco Conegliano (10-0) remained unbeaten with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-14, 23-25, 25-18) win over Igor Gorgonzola Novara on Dec. 3.
Cook scored 16 points on 14 kills (.414), one block and one ace. She was also credited with 24 receptions, 67 percent positive. U.S. outside hitter Khalia Lanier totaled 17 points on a match-high five aces and 12 kills. Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer did not play. Setter Madi Bugg played as a substitute.
On Dec. 10, Conegliano (11-10) beat Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-17). Lanier was named MVP after scoring eight points on seven kills (.428) and one ace. She also had 21 receptions, 67 percent positive. Cook scored 13 points on 12 kills and one ace. Bugg played as a substitute and Plummer did not play.
Middle Dana Rettke, outside hitter Kara Bajema and Allianz Vero Volley Milano beat Casalmaggiore (2-8) with setter Micha Hancock, 3-2 (24-26, 27-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-2). Rettke was named match MVP as she started the final three sets and scored 15 points on 11 kills, two blocks and two aces. Bajema played as a substitute. Hancock scored two points on a kill and an ace.
On Dec. 10, Milano (10-1) beat Honda Olivero S.Bernardo Cuneo (4-7) with middle Anna Hall and outside hitter Madi Kubik 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-14). Rettke scored eight points on seven kills and an ace. Bajema did not play. Hall scored two points on a kill and a block. Kubik started the third set and scored six points on six kills.
Savino Del Bene Scandicci with middle blocker Haleigh Washington swept Wash4green Pinerolo (25-19, 31-29, 25-19). Washington scored seven points on five kills and two aces.
On Dec. 11, Scandicci (9-2) beat Igor Gorganzola Novara 3-1 (25-11, 28-26, 21-25, 25-21). Washington did not play.
Outside hitter Avery Skinner led all scorers with 16 points as Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 (6-4) beat Uyba Volley Busto Arsizio 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-21) on Dec. 3. Skinner scored on 15 kills (.519) and one block. Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel scored four points on four kills.
On Dec. 10, Il Bisonte Firenze beat Chieri ’76, 3-2 (28-26, 25-23, 21-25, 17-25, 15-11). Skinner scored 21 points on 18 kills, two blocks and one ace. Kingdon Rishel added 16 points on 13 kills, one block and two aces. For Firenze, U.S. middle Lauren Stivrins scored 10 points on five kills and five blocks.
Honda Olivero S.Bernardo Cuneo with Hall and Kubik fell to Roma Volley Club 3-1 (18-25, 25-15, 25-17, 26-24) on Dec. 3. Hall started the final two sets and scored nine points on eight kills and one block. Kubik started the third set and scored three points on three kills.
GERMANY
Justine Wong-Orantes and SC Potsdam (6-3) fell to VfB Suhl Lotto Thüringen 3-2 (25-22, 25-17, 16-25, 21-25, 15-13) on Dec. 2. Wong-Orantes was credited with 18 receptions, 56 percent positive. U.S. opposite Danielle Harbin led all scorers with 25 points on 23 kills, one block and one ace. Middle Breland Morrissette started the first two sets and scored two points on two kills.
For Thüringen, outside hitter Julia Brown scored 16 points on 15 kills and one block.
On Dec. 9, middle blocker Kayla Haneline and Allianz MTV Stuttgart (7-1) beat Potsdam 3-0 (28-26, 25-15 25-23). Haneline scored five points on two kills and three blocks. U.S. opposite Krystal Rivers scored 19 points on 17 kills and two blocks. For Potsdam, Wong-Orantes was credited with 14 receptions, 43 percent positive. Harvin scored 17 points on 16 kills and one block.
Libero Zoe Fleck and USC Münster (3-6) defeated VC Neuwied 77, 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-19) on Dec. 2. Fleck was credited with 12 receptions, 42 percent positive. Setter Jenna Ewart scored 11 points on six kills, two blocks and a match-high three aces. Opposite Gloria Mutiri scored nine points on nine kills.
On Dec. 9, Münster beat Vilsbiburg 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 15-25, 25-22). Fleck was credited with seven receptions, 43 percent positive. Ewart scored four points on three kills and one ace. Mutiri led all scorers with 27 points on 22 kills and five blocks.
JAPAN
Opposite Annie Drews and JT Marvelous improved to 11-0 with a 3-2 (25-21, 21-25, 25-22, 24-26, 15-9) on Dec. 2. Drews scored 24 points on 19 kills, three blocks and two aces.
On Dec. 9, Drews and JT Marvelous beat Prestige International Aranmare in the Empress Cup, 3-1 (25-23, 23025, 25-19, 25-14).
BRAZIL
Setter Jenna Gray and Gerdau Minas (7-1) swept SESI Volei Bauru (25-19, 25-18, 25-23) on Dec. 7. Gray set her team to a .365 hitting efficiency. On Dec. 12, Gerdau Minas posted to Facebook that Gray was injured during training and would not play in the Club World Champs with the team.
Outside hitter Roni Jones Perry and SESC RJ Flamengo (6-1) beat Associação Atlética São Caetano Voleibol 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-16) on Dec. 7. Jones Perry scored 15 points on 13 kills and two aces.
Middle Brionne Butler and Osasco Sao Cristovao Saude (4-1) beat Fluminense 3-1 (29-27, 22-25, 25-21, 25-23) on Dec. 8. Butler scored 13 points on 10 kills and three blocks and was named the match MVP. U.S. middle Callie Schwarzenbach added 14 points on nine kills and five blocks. For Fluminense, middle Claire Felix scored seven points on six kills and one block.
FRANCE
Opposite Taylor Mims and Nantes (9-1) beat LPSC Mariannes 92, 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-21) on Dec. 2. Mims scored 10 points on seven kills, two blocks and one ace. For Mariannes, U.S. middle Emily Thater scored seven points on six kills and one block.
On Dec. 9, Nantes beat Le Cannet 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-17). Mims led Nantes with 13 points on nine kills, two blocks and two aces.
ROMANIA
Setter Ashley Evans and CSM Bucuresti (7-3 beat CSU Medicina CNUE Tirgu Mures 3-1 (25-22, 26-28, 25-16, 25-16) on Dec. 2. Evans started the first two sets and scored five points on four kills and an ace. She combined with setter Anna Kikuchi to set Bucuresti to a .301 hitting efficiency.
On Dec. 9, Evans played as a substitute as CSM Bucuresti beat CS Rapid Bucuresti 3-2 (25-21, 20-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-12).
CEV CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Dana Rettke, Kara Bajema and Italy’s Allianz Vero Volley Milano remained undefeated in Pool A by beating France’s Volley Mulhouse Alsace 3-1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-16, 25-13) on Dec. 6. Rettke scored 12 points on eight kills, three blocks and one ace. Bajema started sets 3 and 4 and scored six points on four kills, one block and one ace. For Alsace, U.S. outside hitter Carli Snyder started sets 2-4 and scored seven points on seven kills.
Ali Frantti, Chiaka Ogbogu, Jordan Thompson and Türkiye’s VakifBank improved to 3-1 in Pool A with a 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 25-17) victory over Serbia’s Jedinstvo Stara Pazova. Thompson scored 17 points on 15 kills, one block and one ace. Ogbogu added six points on four kills and two aces. Frantti started the final two sets and scored 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks.
In Pool B, Haleigh Washington and Italy’s Savino Del Bene Scandicci improved to 4-0 with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-15) win over Hungary’s Vasas Óbuda Budapest on Dec. 6. Washington did not play.
Germany’s SC Potsdam with Justine Wong-Orantes fell to Türkiye’s Fenerbahce Opet 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-15) on Dec. 6. Wong-Orantes was credited with 12 receptions, 67 percent positive. Potsdam is 2-2 in pool play.
In Pool D, Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano with Kelsey (Robinson) Cook, Kathryn Plummer and Khalia Lanier and Madi Bugg beat Germany’s Allianz MTV Stuttgart with middle Kayla Haneline 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-23) on Dec. 5. Lanier scored eight points on six kills and two aces. Cook added seven points on six kills and one ace. Bugg played as a substitute and scored one point on an ace. Plummer did not play.
For Stuttgart, Haneline scored five points on two kills and three aces. U.S. opposite Krystal Rivers scored 10 points on 10 kills. U.S. outside hitter Alexis Hart started the first two sets and scored five points on four kills and one block.
Conegliano is 4-0 in pool play and Stuttgart is 1-3.
CEV CUP
Italy’s Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 with Avery Skinner and Madi Kingdon Rishel advanced to the CEV Cup playoff round after sweeping their matches against Serbia’s Zeleznicar Lajkovac.
In the second match on Dec. 7, Chieri won 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-19). Skinner scored seven points on seven kills. Kingdon Rishel started the first two sets and scored six points on four kills and two aces. Chieri will play Poland’s Grupa Azoty Chemik Police in the next round, which begins Jan. 9.
CEV CHALLENGE CUP
Taylor Mims and France’s Neptunes Nantes advanced to the quarterfinals after beating Spain’s Avarca de Menorca in two matches in the round of eight. In the second match on Dec. 5, Nantes won 3-1 (25-17, 25-17, 17-25, 25-23). Mims scored 18 points on 18 kills. Nantes will play Greece’s Panathinaikos AC Athens in the quarterfinals, which begin on Jan. 9.
Türkiye’s Galatasaray Daikin Istanbul with Danielle Cuttino, Logan Eggleston and Heather Gneiting did not advance after splitting two five-set matches with Germany’s VC Wiesbaden in the round of eight and then losing a tie-breaking golden set.
In the second match on Dec. 6, Daikin won 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 25-18, 16-14), but then lost the golden set 15-11. Eggleston scored 25 points on 21 kills (.476), two blocks and two aces. Cuttino scored 24 points on 22 kills (.476) and two blocks. Gneiting totaled six points on four kills, one block and one ace.
For Wiesbaden, U.S. opposite Rachel Anderson scored 18 points on 15 kills, two blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Jaidyn Blanchfield added 15 points on 13 kills, one block and one ace.
Ashley Evans and Romania’s CSM Bucuresti did not advance after losing both matches to Greece’s Panathinaikos AC Athens in the round of eight. On Dec. 5, Athens beat Bucuresti 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 25-23). Evans started the first set and scored two points on one kill and one ace.