Luxembourg, March 22, 2018. The reigning champions from VakifBank ISTANBUL claimed an important victory in the first round of the Playoffs 6 in the 2018 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Women, after defeating 3-0 their opponents from Volero ZÜRICH. The players around head coach Giovanni Guidetti needed only 78 minutes to confirm that they were the better team in this match, played in Switzerland on Thursday night. Milena Rasic and her teammates controlled the game and the host side couldn´t take the lead. Mira Todorova from Volero ZÜRICH performed on her highest level, putting 16 points to her name and becoming this way Best Player of the matchup. The away match between these two teams will take place on April 5 in Istanbul.

Volero ZÜRICH (SUI) vs. VakifBank ISTANBUL (TUR) 0-3 (17-25, 22-25, 21-25)

•    It is the third consecutive away win for VakifBank ISTANBUL at Volero ZÜRICH in the #CLVolleyW Playoffs 6 after their 3-1 away win last year and a hard-fought 3-2 victory the year before.
•    Mira Todorova of Volero ZÜRICH topped the scoring charts with 16 points, while 2016 Olympic gold medallist Zhu Ting and Lonneke Slöetjes of VakifBank ISTANBUL gathered 14 points each.
•    Milena Rasic of VakifBank ISTANBUL was the best blocker of the game with five blocks (three in the first set only). VakifBank ISTANBUL gathered 11 block points over the entire game. Volero ZÜRICH, on the other hand, only scored five block points.
•    The first set remained tight till the first technical timeout. Thereafter, however, VakifBank ISTANBUL were able to increase their lead with a big point spree. The Turks eventually claimed the opening set 25-17 also due to four block points, three scored by Olympic silver medallist Milena Rasic, while Volero ZÜRICH could not book a single block point.
•    Volero ZÜRICH stepped up their game in the second set. Avital Selinger’s squad scored five blocks, but the multiple Swiss champs struggled in the offence. VakifBank ISTANBUL, on the other hand, only committed two unforced errors in the second set and were able to convert their fifth set point (25-22).

Laura Unternährer, outside hitter of Volero ZÜRICH: “We fought really hard today, but VakifBank ISTANBUL just proved too strong. Nevertheless, it was very special to play our last #CLVolleyW home game at the Saalsporthalle in front of such an amazing crowd. But we do not want to mope now, we have to focus on the return leg at VakifBank ISTANBUL.” 

Lonneke Slöetjes, opposite hitter of VakifBank ISTANBUL: “It is always nice to play here in Zurich. The crowd builds up a great atmosphere here at the Saalsporthalle. In my opinion, the game was not as easy as it might look on the match sheet. We committed too many little errors on our end, most of all in our attacking game.”

Giovanni Guidetti , head coach of VakifBank ISTANBUL: “It is always difficult to face teams with players in the roster that you have not faced before. That is the reason why we were not 100% sure about how Volero ZÜRICH would play today, but we eventually prevailed. I am not totally satisfied with our performance today, but a win is a win. Now we have to work on the little details to make sure we are going to win the return game too.”

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