Baku, June 21, 2015 — Turkey Women dominated Azerbaijan Women 3-0 in a European Games Women volleyball match, silencing the host crowd with a disciplined and powerful performance. Turkey won 25-18, 25-16, 25-20, showing why they were considered one of the tournament’s leading sides.

Match Overview

Turkey controlled the opening set from the midway point, using strong serving to disrupt Azerbaijan’s reception. The second set was even more emphatic, as Turkey raced ahead and never allowed the hosts to build any sustained pressure. Azerbaijan improved in the third and stayed close early, but Turkey’s blocking and attacking depth proved decisive down the stretch.

Key Moments

• Turkey broke away at 12-7 in the first set, with Gözde Kırdar and Eda Erdem leading the charge.
• Azerbaijan briefly led 10-8 in the second, but Turkey responded with a 7-1 run behind Naz Aydemir’s serve.
• In the third, Polen Uslupehlivan delivered key kills to keep Turkey ahead before they closed out the match.
• Eda Erdem’s block on match point sealed the straight-sets victory.

Tactical Story

Turkey’s game plan centred on aggressive serving and a well-organised block, which limited Azerbaijan’s star attacker Polina Rahimova. Turkey’s middle blockers moved well to close the angles, while the back-row defence picked up several difficult balls. Azerbaijan struggled to find consistent offence outside of Rahimova, and their reception errors prevented them from running an effective middle attack.

Standout Players

Gözde Kırdar led Turkey with 15 points, combining power and finesse from the left side. Eda Erdem added 11 points, including four blocks, and Naz Aydemir controlled the offence with smart decisions. For Azerbaijan, Polina Rahimova was the main threat with 13 points, while Oksana Kiselyova contributed in defence, but the hosts lacked enough support at the net.

What It Means

The win gave Turkey Women a confidence-boosting result and kept them on course for a deep run in the European Games Women tournament. Azerbaijan Women, playing in front of their home fans, were left to regroup after a difficult match, but the experience against a top side highlighted the level required in the medal rounds.