Rookies Turan TOVUZ enjoy dream start to maiden #CLVolleyW campaign

Azerbaijan’s reigning national champions Turan TOVUZ enjoyed a dream debut in the elite CEV Champions League Volley Women as they cruised to a comprehensive 3-0 victory (25-20, 25-16, 25-16) over Mladost ZAGREB much to the delight of the 1,580 fans in attendance for this major milestone. Next week Turan will have to claim also the return match in Croatia’s capital city if they are to progress to the #CLVolleyW Round 3. 

The match began with both teams competing closely. Although Mladost appeared more active in the opening set, Turan managed to take the lead towards the end and secured the win. The following sets also featured competitive play between the two sides. Compared to the opening set, Turan showed greater composure and consistency though and continued to challenge their opponents throughout the match. Serbian opposite Marta Drpa was the top scorer of the match for the home side, playing a crucial role in her team’s victory with 15 points. She was also named the MVP of the match.
 
Ayshan Abdulazimova, captain of Turan TOVUZ: “Our first match, our first emotions! Congratulations to the entire Turan family and our players. I would like to give a special thank you to our fans – they were absolutely amazing! I also want to thank our mascot for the fantastic support. A big thank you to our management for providing us with such great conditions here in Tovuz. The first match always comes with a lot of excitement. I believe the return match in Zagreb will be even more difficult, as away games are always challenging. But our main goal is to win, and we will travel to Zagreb determined to achieve another victory. Thank you, everyone!”

Ana Ištuk, player of Mladost: “We lost 0-3 against a very good and experienced team. We knew they were strong and understood how we needed to prepare. We had a few minor issues, including illness and injuries, but I believe we will put in a better performance in Zagreb, and we hope to have the support of our fans there as well. This was not our best performance, but I think we learned some important lessons from this match. Now, we are looking forward to the next one.”