Baku, June 23, 2015 — Turkey Women produced a composed 3-1 victory over Russia W in the European Games Women volleyball tournament, reinforcing their reputation as one of the most balanced sides in Baku. The win, built on strong serving, disciplined blocking and a calm finish in the fourth set, gave Turkey another important result in the medal race.

Match Overview

Turkey claimed the first set 25-22 after breaking away late, but Russia W responded with a determined 25-22 second-set win of their own. The momentum swung again in the third, where Turkey’s net defence and transition attack created a 25-19 advantage. In the fourth, Russia stayed within touching distance until the closing stages, but Turkey closed out the match 25-21 to seal a 3-1 scoreline.

Key Moments

• At 22-22 in the opening set, Turkey won three straight points, capped by an Eda Erdem block and a Gözde Kırdar spike.
• Russia’s best spell came in the second set, when Natalia Malykh and Irina Voronkova found rhythm from the wings.
• Turkey regained control in the third behind a tough serving run from Naz Aydemir that disrupted Russia’s reception.
• In the fourth, Russia led 12-10 before Turkey answered with a 6-1 run that effectively decided the match.

Tactical Story

Turkey’s serve-receive held up under pressure, allowing Naz Aydemir to involve the middle blockers early and often. Eda Erdem and Kübra Akman formed a strong blocking wall, while Gözde Kırdar carried a heavy scoring load from the outside. Russia W relied on high-volume attacks from the pins, but Turkey’s floor defence repeatedly extended rallies and turned them into counter-attacking points.

Standout Players

Gözde Kırdar led Turkey with a match-high 18 points, combining power from the left with smart placement in the decisive moments. Eda Erdem added five blocks and several crucial kills, while Naz Aydemir controlled the tempo with sharp distribution. For Russia, Natalia Malykh was the most consistent attacker, and Irina Voronkova showed flashes of power, but the team’s error count rose in the final two sets.

What It Means

The result kept Turkey Women firmly in the hunt for a European Games medal and underlined their depth ahead of the knockout phase. For Russia W, the defeat was a missed opportunity to build momentum, though the competitive second set showed they could trouble elite opposition when their serve and block connected.