Highlights
Overview
Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA gained a spot in the Quarterfinal for the 4th consecutive time since 2017-2018 season. Both Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL and Novara met in Champions League in 2017-2018 season, competing against each other in the pool phase when Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA won both games. They were also down to play each other in the Quarterfinal of Champions League last year, before the competition was stopped due to Covid-19 pandemic. Only 3 players from Igor Gorgonzola Novara remain in the squad since the last Champions League match vs Fenerbahce (2018): the captain and middle-blocker Cristina Chirichella, the middle-blocker Sara Bonifacio and the libero Stefania Sansonna.
Fenerbahce reached the quarterfinal as one of the top three runner-ups of the 4th Round. Their pool phase journey was challenged by another Italian team, A. Carraro Imoco CONEGLIANO. Melissa Vargas was her team’s bets scorer in the pool phase, brining 79 points. Kelsey Robinson, who has joined Fenerbahce during the season, contributed 7 aces, becoming the best server for her team during that phase.
Micha Hancock just set a new all-time record in Italian League. In the 3-0 loss against A. Carraro Imoco CONEGLIANO last Saturday night, she scored 2 aces, reaching 50 aces in regular phase of the season, with one game to go. The previous record was set in 2002-2003 by Virginie De Carne (49 aces).
Novara has lost only 5 games in their whole season so far: 4 games in Italian League (both with Conegliano and Monza) and 1 game in Italian Supercup semifinal against Unet e-work Busto Arsizio. The win-loss score is 27-5 so far.
Head-to-Head
- Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL and Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA met once before in a Champions League campaign, in the 2017/18 fourth round.
- In 2017/18, Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA defeated Fenerbahce twice: 3-2 in Istanbul and 3-0 in Novara.
- Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL lost eight of their last 10 Champions League meetings with Italian sides, including each of their last four. Their only wins in this period came against Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI in the 2018/19 quarter-finals.
- Earlier this season, Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL lost both of their fourth round matches against Italian side A. Carraro Imoco CONEGLIANO.
- Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA have a W4-L4 record against teams from Turkey in the Champions League.
- Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA's most recent CL encounter with a Turkish team came against VakifBank ISTANBUL in the 2018/19 semi-finals. Both teams won their away match after which Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA reached the final by winning the golden set (16-14).
Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL
- Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL could reach the Champions League semi-finals for the sixth time. Only VakifBank ISTANBUL (9), RC CANNES (7), Volley BERGAMO (7) and Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL (6) have reached the semi-finals at least six times on the women's side (all excluding the 2020/21 season).
- Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL finished on the Champions League podium five times. They won the competition in 2011/12, came runners-up in 2009/10 and finished third in 2010/11, 2015/16 and 2018/19.
- Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL won four of their six matches this Champions League season, with the only exception two defeats against Italian outfit A. Carraro Imoco CONEGLIANO.
- Melissa Teresa Vargas Abreu (79) won the most points for her team this Champions League campaign, of which 74 came from spikes.
- After the conclusion of the fourth round, Melis Yilmaz (27.43%) had the second-best receive efficiency of all players. Only Martyna Grajber (28.24% for Grupa Azoty Chemik POLICE) performed better.
- In Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL's last three matches, Kelsey Marie Robinson achieved a serve efficiency of 11.90%.
Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA
- Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA are hoping to reach the Champions League semi-finals for a second time, after 2018/19. They won the competition that season, which is still their only CL podium finish.
- Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA are on a 10-match winning run in the Champions League, since a 1-3 defeat against Allianz MTV STUTTGART in the 2019/20 fourth round. This is already their longest winning run in the competition.
- Of Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA's eight defeats in the Champions League, half came against teams from Turkey (4).
- Malwina Smarzek-Godek (88) won the most points for her team this Champions League season, including 14 from stuff blocks.
- Haleigh Washington (55.00%) has the second-best spiker efficiency of all players, behind Ekaterina Evdokimova (62.16% for Lokomotiv KALININGRAD Region).
- Micha Danielle Hancock (13) collected joint-most aces in the fourth round, alongside Isabelle Haak (13 for VakifBank ISTANBUL).
Cristina Chirichella“We are really excited about continuing our European campaign in the Champions League quarterfinals. We are totally aware that Fenerbahce is one of the best teams in the world, but we are confident about our chances of achieving a spot in the semifinals. We expect to have two big clashes against Fenerbahce and will do our best - we will need a very consistent performance”
captain and middle-blocker of Igor Gorgonzola Novara
Igor Gorgonzola Novara
Melis Yılmaz"Every match in the CEV Champions League is difficult. While it’s easier to make up for our errors in the group, you need to minimise the mistakes. We play the first match at our own court and want to put our best game on the field, beat our opponent and go to Italy with good spirits. Novara is one of the toughest teams of both the Italian League and the Champions League. It will be a good game, but we will reflect the best game we can as a team to pass to the next phase.”
libero of Fenerbahçe Opet Istanbul
Melis Yılmaz, libero of Fenerbahçe Opet Istanbul
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Match Polls
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Officials
First RefereeMykhaylo MEDVIDUKRSecond RefereeEldar ZULFUGAROVAZE
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How To Attend
Nuh Kuyusu Cad. Seyit Ahmet Deresi Sok. No:5, ISTANBUL, 81150 Capacity: 6800
#CLVolleyW
Team
Team Profile
Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL
Address
Bagdat St. Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Stadium Kiziltoprak-Kadikoy IstanbulContacts
+90 216 542 19 07
dariuszstanicki@fenerbahce.org
Team Schedule
Previous Games
03/03/2021 | vs. | 1 - 3 | L | Go to Match Centre |
23/02/2021 | vs. | 1 - 3 | L | Go to Match Centre |
28/01/2021 | vs. | 1 - 3 | L | Go to Match Centre |
- All Time
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15Competitions Played
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2Titles
- Competition
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8Matches Played
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4Matches Won
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50%Win %
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15Sets Won
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606Points Won
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37%Attack %
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38%Reception %
Team
4
ROBINSON COOK Kelsey Marie
Outside spiker
- Birth Date: 1992
- Birth Place: Illinois
- Height: 188 cm
9
VARGAS Melissa Teresa
Opposite
- Birth Date: 1999
- Birth Place: Cien Fuegos
- Height: 194 cm
10
BUSA Bianka
Outside spiker
- Birth Date: 1994
- Birth Place: Vrbas
- Height: 187 cm
12
MIHAJLOVIC Brankica
Outside spiker
- Birth Date: 1991
- Birth Place: Brcko
- Height: 190 cm
Recent Results
Gallery
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Match Report
Novara win the opening match of the Quarterfinals phase
Article
136
Points
The combined total number of points scored by both teams throughout the entire match.
104
Duration
The total length of the match, from the first serve through until the last point has ended.
50
Spectators
Total number of people in attendance at the venue – taken at the end of the second set.
268
Match Spikes
The combined total number of successful spikes achieved by both teams throughout the entire match.
32%
Reception Level
An average of the two team service reception percentages from the complete match.
10-15
Net Domination
The number of successful point winning blocks of Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL compared to Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA.
2-5
Ace Count
Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL number of service aces compared to Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA
27-23
Error Difference
Errors leading to points of Fenerbahçe Opet ISTANBUL, next to those from Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA