By Satuk Bugra Kultlugun
ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul women’s volleyball team retained their world title in a 3-2 over Pomi Casalmaggiore of Italy in Philippine capital Manila on Sunday.
The final of the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship saw the teams pushed to their limits as the match went to a deciding fifth set.
Eczacibasi VitrA won the first set 25-19 but Pomi came back in the second to win 25-20. The two teams split the third and fourth sets before the match went to the fifth set, where Neslihan Demir aced a service to put the Istanbul side up 12-10. Russian Tatiana Kosheleva’s service ace, Eczacibasi VitrA won the set 15-11.
Kosheleva led the scorers with 23 points while Serbia’s Tijana Boskovic added 17 points to help the team retain the championship.