Olympiacos spring first #CLVolleyW sensation with tiebreak victory over Eczacibasi
Recap
A high-energy day in the CEV ZEREN Group Champions League Volley 2026 | Women unfolded on Tuesday in style, seeing VakifBank outplay Alba BLAJ, SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN battle past Maritza PLOVDIV in five, A. Carraro Prosecco DOC CONEGLIANO stay perfect in their title pursuit, and Olympiacos PIRAEUS edge Eczacibasi Dynavit ISTANBUL in a dramatic finish to celebrate their first historic victory in the group stage of the competition.
Pool A: CS Volei Alba BLAJ (ROU) vs VakifBank ISTANBUL (TUR) 1-3 (25-21, 23-25, 14-25, 21-25)
VakifBank continued with their good performance in Pool A, seizing a second victory, this time around over CS Volei Alba BLAJ. The two teams had already met in the Champions League Final in 2018, when the club of Romania lost 0-3. The Turkish powerhouse have reached the Gold Medal Match (Final) nine times, also a record, and will definitely aim at another one this season.
They started good after claiming a straight sets win in the first leg of the CLVolleyW against Volero LE CANNET, while the Romanians are yet to record a win after the 0-3 loss to Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI.
The hosts of CS Alba Blaj took an early lead at 4-0, stretching it to 10-4, showing excellent, at times outstanding, defence. Zehra Güneş of VakifBank reacted, contributing with strong blocking and moments of sharp focus for the visitors. The set featured several high-quality rallies, but despite Tijana Boskovic’s best efforts, Alba BLAJ maintained their rhythm. A key block from Buse Ozden pushed VakifBank to 18-15, and although the Turks were closing the gap (19-17), Drussyla Felix Costa found the perfect angle to halt their momentum. The Romanians also recorded an impressive 64% positive reception and out-blocked their opponents 5–3 - a clear improvement in that element from their match against SCANDICCI. Vittoria Piani delivered set point at 24-21, and a perfect block on Boskovic secured the opening set 25-21 for Guillermo Naranjo Hernández’s team. Vittoria Piani was topping the charts at this time with 9 points to 7 by Boskovic.
VakifBank needed more speed in their attack, and they stormed into the second set with a 3-0 start, determined to contain Piani, though a service error slowed their momentum. BLAJ responded as Ariana-Cristina Pirv delivered a beautiful attack for 2-4, followed by a superb ace that brought them to 3-4. The rallies grew increasingly intense, with Piani showing nerves of steel to close a long exchange for 6-7, signalling that BLAJ were breathing down their opponents’ necks. Coach Naranjo Hernández gave clear instructions to setter Charlotte Krenicky as the Romanian side pushed on, and their defensive contributions proved moment-changing, backed by their loyal fans. The score tightened to 15–15 before Zehra Güneş began to make a difference, helping VakifBank edge ahead 15–17. The hosts fought back to 18-18, but VakifBank again pulled away to 20-22. Bianca Maria Grama was brought in for Krenicky to form a taller block, and an unforced VakifBank error levelled the score at 22–22, briefly shifting momentum toward Alba. However, BLAJ soon returned the favour with an unforced error of their own, giving VakifBank a 24-22 lead. Piani saved one for 23–24, but Chiaka Ogbogu finished the set from the middle to equalise the match with a 25-23 win. VakifBank out-blocked the hosts 4-1 in the set, while Alba registered 15 winning spikes to VakifBank’s 13.
VakifBank totally dominated the third set, showing a true winner’s spirit from the very start. They quickly moved ahead 4-1, then 7-4, and soon 10=5, establishing a comfortable lead through sharper concentration and cleaner execution in every component of the game. At 12-6, Boskovic kept the pressure high, and at 13-6 BLAJ were forced into a timeout, but it made no difference as Güneş continued to punish them at the net. VakifBank operated like a well-oiled machine, while the hosts struggled to find solutions, lacking the sharp, decisive attacks needed to close rallies. Grama was brought in again as the Romanians searched for answers, but the momentum remained unchanged. Piani was substituted at 9-17, with BLAJ choosing to save her energy for the next set, while Ogbogu kept finishing balls from the third line and VakifBank’s tough serving caused serious problems in the Romanian reception line. A small wake-up call came for Blaj at 11-20, but it was far too late, and VakifBank closed out the set decisively, 25-15. Statistically, VakifBank were better on attack (16 to 10 winning spikes) and recorded five kill blocks (to 1).
In the fourth set, VakifBank’s setter, Cansu Özbay had figured out the sweet spot for Boskovic, and the Turkish quickly jumped to a 4-1 lead, prompting Alba to call an early timeout at 3–8. The Romanians kept fighting hard, and both teams continued to entertain the fans inside a lively Sala Polivalenta. The score moved to 10-14 before Piani shone again, bringing her team to 12-15 and forcing Guidetti to stop the play. An ace by Alba’s Jelena Delic helped the Romanian side get even closer at 14-15, and they stayed in the chase at 16-18 and 18-19, putting renewed pressure on the six-time Champions League winners. Still, Cansu consistently found the right attacker at key moments. Piani was then blocked by Güneş and Katarina Lazovic, who immediately followed with another block to earn the first match point. Ogbogu finished the final ball, sealing the victory.
In the next Leg, VakifBank meet Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI, whom they lost to 0-3 in last season’s Semi-Final, while CS Alba BLAJ lock horns with Volero LE CANNET.
MVP Tijana Bošković scored 26 points. She started with a rather low attack efficiency and grew stronger as the match progressed, elevating her performance when it mattered most.
Tijana Bošković“Not an easy win, as you could see. Congratulations to Alba BLAJ - they played a great match and were a really strong opponent. We struggled a lot in the first two sets, and we are happy to take the three points, but we know we have things to learn. As for Scandicci, we have played them many times before and we know what to expect. We will try to be at our best and prepare as well as we can for that game."
Player of VakifBank ISTANBUL
Olympiacos continue to write new chapters in their club’s history. In their debut season in the CEV Champions League, they have now claimed a maiden victory - and an unforgettable one - by stunning Eczacibasi Dynavit and snapping the Turkish powerhouse’s run of seven straight wins in the competition group stage. Eczacibasi’s last group-stage defeat dated back to 16 January 2024, when they fell to Italy’s Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI.
The opening set saw Olympiacos lead 1-0 and 2-1, before Eczacibasi turned the score around to 3-2 and 5-3. The home team drew level at 5-5 and briefly moved ahead 7-6, but a strong run of serves from Yaprak Erkek pushed the visitors to an 11-8 advantage. Eczacibasi extended the margin to 14-10 and 19-15, then cruised to a 25-21 finish. Ebrar Karakurt led the way with six points (one block, and five kills at 63%). Eczacibasi posted 59% positive reception and 52% attack efficiency. On the opposite side, Amanda Coneo matched Karakurt with six points (one ace, five kills, 63% attack).
Olympiacos stormed into the second set, racing to 4-0 and then 8-1 with Isabella Di Iulio on serve. The hosts controlled the frame throughout (13-6, 17-11, 22-16) and closed it at 25-16 to level the match. Remarkably, it was the first set Eczacibasi had lost since 9 January 2025, when Tent OBRENOVAC took an opening set off them in the 2025 Champions League group stage. Milica Kubura dominated the second set with six points, while Olympiacos collected six blocks and hit at 43%. Eczacibasi struggled with only one block and modest 27% attacking efficiency.
A stronger Eczacibasi response opened Set 3, as they built an 8-4 lead. Olympiacos fought back to tie 11-11 and move ahead 12-11, but the Turkish side struck with a 3-0 run and later pulled away to 22-18 before sealing the set 25-19 and a 2-1 lead. Sinead Jack-Kisal and Magdalena Stysiak were crucial, scoring seven and five points respectively. Jack-Kisal posted four blocks, Stysiak added three, and Eczacibasi hit a decisive 60% in attack.
The fourth set brought another rollercoaster. Olympiacos overturned a 3-5 deficit into a 7-5 lead, but Eczacibasi regained control at 13-9 and 17-14. The home side then produced a remarkable surge, flipping 15-18 into 20-18. Kubura and Ivana Vanjak pushed Olympiacos to 24-21, but Eczacibasi saved all three set points (24-24). Olympiacos finally forced a tie-breaker, closing the set 26-24 after a Stysiak error. Kubura tallied eight points in the fourth set (one ace, seven kills at 47%). Karakurt, Rettke, and Stysiak each produced six points for Eczacibasi.
Eczacibasi entered the tiebreak with the composure of a favourite and led 6-3 and then 8-4 behind Jack-Kisal’s serving. But Olympiacos surged back with a 3-0 run and later jumped ahead 10-9 after back-to-back blocks from Kiriaki Terzoglou. Tension mounted point-by-point until Olympiacos moved up 13-11 after an Erkek error. Eczacibasi fought back to earn match point at 15-14 through a Dana Rettke block. Olympiacos survived, Jovana Stevanović fired an ace for 17-16, and Stysiak’s mistake delivered a historic 18-16 victory for the Greek side sparking huge celebrations on and off the court.
The MVP of the match was Olympiacos setter Isabella Di Iulio.
Isabella Di Iulio“This is history, because we beat an incredible team. We believed we could do something more, especially after the first match. We fought so hard. We have worked relentlessly and I believe we can continue like this.”
Player of Olympiacos PIRAEUS
Branko Kovacevic“I don’t really care about the statistics. Okay, who cares about statistics? The numbers aren’t great, but what mattered was that the girls believed from the beginning to the end, they fought, and in the end they achieved this really, truly great victory.”
Head coach of Olympiacos
Giulio Bregoli“We fought until the very last ball, but it still wasn’t enough for us to win this match. Olympiacos played very well, but unfortunately we made too many mistakes at the net, on the line, and in crucial moments. At this level, mistakes like these are not acceptable. From here on, we’ll analyse the match, learn from it, and make sure we are ready for the next one.”
Head coach of Eczacibasi
Meliha Diken“Of course we are really sad that we lost this game, but we know we played against a very experienced team, and we know we played good Volleyball. Still, I think we could have done many things better today, especially in our organisation, and we will try to do it better in Istanbul.”
Player of Eczacibasi
Pool D: DRESDNER SC (GER) vs. A. Carraro Prosecco DOC CONEGLIANO (ITA) 0-3 (12–25, 17–25, 17–25)
A. Carraro Prosecco DOC CONEGLIANO’s quest for a historic third consecutive Champions League crown remains perfectly on track. The Italian powerhouse delivered a dominant, disciplined and ruthless performance in Dresden on Tuesday evening, sweeping DRESDNER SC 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-17) in just 61 minutes at the Margon Arena.
With the victory, the Panthers extend their extraordinary winning streak in the competition to 23 consecutive matches, tighten their grip on Pool D, and reinforce why they remain the standard of excellence in European club Volleyball.
The MVP trophy went to Zhu Ting, who produced a masterclass on the left wing: 16 points, 57% attack efficiency, four kill blocks – all delivered with trademark calmness and precision.
Conegliano – finalists in six of the last eight completed Champions League seasons and winners in 2021, 2024 and 2025 – travelled to Dresden not just as favourites, but as a club chasing history. Their record-breaking streak of 37 straight group-stage victories remains untouched, and Tuesday's performance suggested that number will continue to grow.
From the opening whistle, Daniele Santarelli’s team took full control. With high service pressure, seamless side-out efficiency and fast transitions led by Joanna Wolosz, the Italians surged to a 25–12 first-set win. Isabelle Haak and Gabi applied immediate scoring pressure, while the block–defence system, anchored by Marina Lubian and Monica De Gennaro, smothered the German attack.
Conegliano’s rhythm, precision, and depth were simply on another level. Zhu delivered her most complete Champions League performance of the season so far. Her 12 winning spikes came in every possible scenario – in-system, out-of-system, in extended rallies – while her four blocks underlined what a leading role she played. Conegliano’s block-defence unit produced eight kill blocks in the match, repeatedly closing the angles of Dresden’s young attackers. The Italians also capitalised on 23 opponent errors, keeping the pressure unrelenting throughout. At 25-17, 25-17 in the final two sets, Conegliano never allowed Dresden to build momentum, control a stretch of play, or interrupt their flow.
For DRESDNER SC, this Champions League edition marks their eighth participation – and their youngest squad in history. With all players born after 2000 and guided by longtime coach Alexander Waibl, the German side embraced the challenge with energy and fearlessness, but against Conegliano, they discovered the gap that still separates Europe’s emerging teams from the continent’s elite.
Opposite Rosa Entius was their most effective scorer, delivering seven points on 78% attack efficiency in limited opportunities. Libero Patricia Nestler and outside hitter Marta Kamelija Levinska showed flashes of stability, especially in transition defence, but sustained pressure proved difficult against Conegliano’s pace and height. Still, the hosts’ commitment and resilience reflected a team with long-term growth potential.
Mette Pfeffer"I think we're all happy today to have played against such a great team. That only happens a few times in a lifetime, and for some of us it was a little dream come true. And yes, I'm actually quite satisfied with my performance. I could have made a few more block catches and we should have done the simple things better."
Player of DRESDNER SC
Alexander Waibl"I am very proud of my young team; we had many good moments. We can take a lot away from this match. A big compliment to Conegliano, they deserved the win. For me, they are the strongest team in the world. I am proud of my team and looking forward to our next matches."
Head Coach of DRESDNER SC
Pool E: Maritza PLOVDIV (BUL) vs SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN (GER) 2-3 (21-25, 25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 12-15)
A rollercoaster five-set battle at the Kolodruma hall in Plovdiv went 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-12) the way of Germany’s Palmberg SCHWERIN against Bulgarian home favourites Maritza PLOVDIV. With this, Palmberg achieved their second victory in Pool E of the women’s CEV Champions League, while Maritza had to settle for their first point.
Palmberg took control of the scoreboard from the very first rally of the match. Staying more focused on the court and putting up a great blocking effort, the visitors never let go of their lead, although Maritza kept up the fight and even got back to within a point at times. Dutch outside hitter Helena Kok spearheaded Palmberg’s offense and herself put away the set winner for 25-21. With increased pressure from the serving line and a solid swinging performance, Maritza broke away with a four-point lead early into the second set, but Palmberg capitalised on the many unforced errors by the home team. They caught up at 10-10 and a fierce battle for every point unfolded through 22-22. After an ace by sub-in setter Margarita Guncheva, Maritza’s German outside Vanessa Agbortabi crowned her great game in the set with successful spikes for the last two points and closed it off at 25-22 Maritza’s way.
The third set followed an almost identical storyline. With a boost of confidence and a reduced number of mistakes, the Bulgarian team once again took the initiative in the first third of the set. The German squad once again recovered to prompt a hard-fought duel, but in the end, Agbortabi once again produced two back-to-back kills to finish the set at the same closing score, 25-22. Palmberg stormed the fourth set on a 12-4 run, after a long serving series from sub-in outside Leana Grozer, and never looked back. In the end, Maritza denied four set points before Grozer could end the set with a spike kill for 25-20 to level the match and prompt a fifth set.
In the tie-breaker, the lead went back and forth a few times until two back-to-back kills from Ukrainian sub-in opposite Anna Artyshuk gave Palmberg a 12-10 lead, which Maritza never managed to recover from. Their opposite Iva Dudova reacted with a couple of successful swings, but it was Grozer again, who had the last word, delivering the last two points towards a 15-12 victory.
Iva Dudova was the best scorer of the match with 20 points for the Yellow-and-Blues from Europe’s oldest living city. The Most Valuable Player award went to Palmberg’s most prolific scorer Leana Grozer. Despite playing only during the second half of the game, she led her team with 15 points. Dutch middle blocker Marije ten Brinke impressed with five kill blocks for the German side.
Ahmetcan Ersimsek"We fought until the end and that’s why I’m happy. We showed that we can play against anybody. A few easy mistakes were what made the small difference in this match. We have a lot of lessons to take away from this game to be ready for the next ones."
Head coach of Maritza PLOVDIV
Felix Koslowski"Happy with the win, of course. We knew that it was not going to be easy to play here. They are young, but so are we. There were a lot of ups and downs on both sides and you could see too many unforced errors. I think for the spectators it was an amazing match to watch, with a lot of defence and long rallies."
Head coach of SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN
Vanessa Agbortabi“It’s very unfortunate that we couldn’t take the win, because in some moments we showed that we were actually the better team. We just made a lot of errors today. It shows that if we can reduce them, it will make our life much easier. They are also a very young team and also made mistakes, so every set was very equal. But in the end, they took the win, so congrats to them!”
Outside hitter of Maritza Plovdiv
Leana Grozer“It was really hard. Maritza is a good team. We had some troubles, but we knew what we wanted and, with the emotions, we could play the way we always play. It was really good how we managed the game.”
Outside hitter of Palmberg Schwerin and match MVP