Women’s pro volleyball: Bajema, VakifBank, make Champions final; Wilhite-Parsons leads Red Rockets

This is our weekly update on USA women playing professional volleyball around the world. Most of the players are former NCAA standouts:

Champions League

VakifBank Istanbul pulled off the most improbable comeback by sweeping Fenerbahce, winning the golden set 15-12 to advance to its third consecutive Champions League final.
After getting swept 25-22, 25-14, 25-22, Vakifbank needed to win that single set on Fenerbahce’s court to advance.
Kara Bajema was named MVP as she had 10 kills (hitting .500), two aces, and a block. Chiaka Ogbogu had a match-high six blocks and four kills (1.000) for Vakifbank.

CEV Cup

Scandicci won the title by beating Alba Blaj 25-18, 25-12, 25-11. Haleigh Washington had seven kills (.778), two aces, and a block. Kaitlyn Hord did not play for Alba Blaj.

Italy

Imoco Conegliano started its Italian league title defense by sweeping Busto Arsizio in the first match of the quarterfinals 25-18, 25-15, 25-19. Kathryn Plummer had six kills and two aces and Kelsey Cook had five kills and a block. Setter Carli Lloyd had two kills for Busto Arsizio.

Milano fought off a scare from Casalmaggiore 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 18-25, 15-12. Dana Rettke was MVP with seven kills (.875) after coming off the bench mid-way through set four. Jordan Thompson appeared as a brief substitute. Ali Frantti came off the bench to have nine kills, one block and an ace for Casalmaggiore. Lauren Carlini was credited with two kills, two blocks and one ace.

Washington had a match-high five blocks and four kills as Scandicci earned its first win in the postseason by sweeping Bergamo 25-23, 25-21, 25-20. Khalia Lanier led Bergamo with 11 kills.

Vallefoglia got its first win in the newly formed Playoff Challenge by beating Pinerolo 27-25, 23-25, 25-12, 25-21. Annie Drews led with 20 kills (.450), a block, and an ace. Micha Hancock had a kill for Vallefoglia. The winners of the two series in the playoff challenge will compete for a spot in next season’s CEV Challenge Cup, along with the losing quarterfinal teams.

Firenze beat Cuneo in the Playoff Challenge 22-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-19, 15-10 as Rhamat Alhassan had seven kills (1.000) and a block. Anna Stevenson-Hall had nine kills and four blocks for Cuneo. Dani Drews had three kills as a substitute.

Turkey

Nilufer clinched a playoff spot by pulling off a reverse sweep over Cukurova 25-21, 23-25, 17-25, 27-25, 15-9. Sherridan Atkinson led with 27 kills (.460), four blocks and an ace. Brooke Nuneviller added eight kills and a block.

SigortaShop (5-19) could not keep pace with Fenerbahce 21-25, 25-15, 25-18, 25-18. Kelsie Payne had nine kills, one block and an ace. Marin Grote contributed eight kills (.615), one block and an ace.

Kuzeyboru’s chances at a playoff spot are in jeopardy after being swept by Sariyer 26-24, 28-26, 25-17). Annie Mitchem had 13 kills for Kuzeyboru (9-15), which lost for the fourth time in a row.

Galatasaray swept PTT 26-24, 25-19, 25-23. Logan Eggleston was the second-top scorer for Galatasaray (16-8) with 15 kills (.419) and two aces.

Japan

NEC Red Rockets advanced to the league final by upsetting Ageo 25-18, 25-16, 18-25, 25-23. Sarah Wilhite-Parsons had 14 kills as NEC advanced to its first final since 2017.

France

Beziers opened the quarterfinal round of the playoffs with a 25-21, 25-23, 25-23 sweep of TFOC. Avery Skinner led with 19 kills (.400), three blocks and three aces. Blake Mohler added one kill and a block. Madison Lilley had a match-high four aces to go along with a block and a kill. Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 69% positive reception. Taylor Fricano led TFOC with 12 kills. Shannon Scully had four kills. Kendall White was credited with 50% positive reception.

Cannes was swept by top-seeded Mulhouse 25-20, 25-13, 25-19. Madeline Gates led Cannes with seven kills and a block. Carli Snyder added three kills, one block, and an ace. Claire Felix added four kills and Jenna Gray had two blocks and a kill.

Paris SC overcame a slow start by beating Venelles 13-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18 as Emily Thater had nine kills, four block and an ace. Samantha Drechsel led Venelles with 15 kills, two blocks and two aces.

Taylor Mims powered Nantes to a comeback victory over the defending champions Volero Le Cannet (25-13, 25-27, 18-25, 25-22, 15-10). Mims was named MVP as she had 20 kills, four blocks, and an ace for Nantes.

Germany

Stuttgart clinched a spot in the semifinals by sweeping Vilsbiburg 25-23, 25-13, 28-26. Simone Lee was the top scorer and MVP as she had 13 kills (.461) and a block. Krystal Rivers had nine kills in a two-set appearance. Alexis Hart replaced Rivers and contributed six kills for Stuttgart. Setter Lindsay Flory (who played her entire club career for Volleyball Baton Rouge) had one kill for Vilsbiburg as its season came to an end.

Potsdam stayed alive by beating Suhl 25-9, 24-26, 25-22, 25-20 to even their quarterfinal series. Danielle Harbin led with 14 kills, two blocks and an ace. Julia Brown added six kills and two blocks. Setter Jenna Ewert had five kills and three blocks.

Schwerin advanced to the semifinals by beating Munster 25-18, 25-14, 21-25, 28-26 as Lindsey Ruddins had 16 kills (.353) and an ace. Zoe Fleck was credited with 62% positive reception as Munster’s season ended.

Switzerland

Tessa Grubbs had 27 kills, a block and one ace as NUC Viteos went up 2-0 in the finals by beating Dudingen 33-31, 25-21, 21-25, 25-20. Madeline Haynes added 12 kills, three blocks and two aces. Kayla Lund had 12 kills and an ace. Jasmine Gross finished with seven kills and a block. Setter Mita Uiato had a kill, one block and an ace for Dudingen.

Hungary

Vasas Budapest claimed their spot in the Hungarian league finals by sweeping Fatum-Nyiregyhaza in four sets (25-6, 25-14, 25-22). Taylor Bannister was the top scorer for Vasas as she had 14 kills, four aces, and one block in the win.

Greece

Panathinaikos advanced to the semifinals by beating ASP Thetis 25-21, 25-12, 25-15 as Adora Anae had nine kills (.571) and two aces. Leah Hardeman had eight kills for Thetis and Mariena Hayden had four kills and two aces.

Olympiacos also made the semis by sweeping AO Thiras 25-18, 25-20, 25-20. Jaali Winters was the second-top scorer for Olympiacos with 11 kills and a block.

AO Markopoulo was eliminated by AEK 25-19, 25-20, 25-20. Audriana Fitzmorris had 10 kills and two blocks for Markopoulo and Becca Latham had 11 kills.

Finland

Polkky Kuusamo claimed the league title by sweeping Hameenlinnan Lentopallokerho 25-17, 25-12, 25-12. Breana Runnels led Kuusamo with 12 kills and four aces. Ciara DeBell added 10 kills, two aces and a block. Madeline Palmer chipped in 10 kills and three aces. Cara McKenzie had four kills, two aces and one block. Hameenlinnan’s Jenny Mosser and Adeola Owokoniran had four kills each.

Puerto Rico

Manati pulled off the first upset of the postseason by eliminating 14-time champion Caguas in the quarterfinals 21-25, 25-17, 25-19, 20-25, 15-6. Gloria Mutiri had 14 kills and a block for Manati, Callie Schwarzenbach followed with 11 kills and three blocks and s etter Mackenzi Welsh chipped in one kill and an ace. Kayla Caffey led Caguas with 17 kills and five blocks. Nia Reed added 12 kills, one block and an ace. Taylor Borup, who made her debut in place of Kash Williams, had 11 kills. Manati will play top-seeded Santurce in the semifinals.

Naranjito advanced to the semifinals by sweeping Juncos 25-16, 25-20, 25-17. Lindsey Vander Weide led with 10 kills and a block. Shelly Stafford added seven kills and two blocks and setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres had one kill and an ace. Naya Gros finished with eight kills and a block for Juncos. Naranjito will play Corozal in the semis.

Brazil

Roni Jones-Perry had 15 kills and SESC RJ advanced to the semifinals by beating Fluminense 25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 25-18.

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