Fenerbahçe storm to #CEVCupM semis after comprehensive home win

Fenerbahçe PRL ISTANBUL did not drop a single set in their quarterfinal matches with Greenyard MAASEIK of Belgium to claim a spot in the semis of the men’s CEV Volleyball Cup. A week ago, the Turkish team had stormed to a 3-0 victory away from home and they repeated the same result on Wednesday late afternoon on home soil when they beat their opponents in straight sets (25-20, 25-20, 25-15) for a second time. Young opposite Kaan Gürbüz was the top scorer of the match with 18 points. In the semi-finals, Fenerbahçe will be playing the winners of the Polish derby between Aluron CMC Warta ZAWIERCIE and Asseco Resovia RZESZOW. Resovia claimed the first round of this double header 3-0 a week ago. 

Simla Türker Bayazıt, a member of the Fenerbahçe Sports Club Board of Administration responsible for Volleyball, was among the attendees on Wednesday at the Burhan Felek Vestel Volleyball Hall. The hosts started the match with a line-up including Vahit Emre Savaş, Kaan Gürbüz, Nikolay Penchev, Mahdi Jelveh Ghaziani, Dick Kooy, Murat Yenipazar and liberos Hasan Yeşilbudak and Caner Dengin. They initially trailed in the first set but eventually edged ahead at 14-12 and never looked back to win it by 25-20.

In the second set, the two teams exchanged the lead back and forth for a while, but a series of blocks paved the way for a 17-13 lead in favour of the home side. The Fenerbahçe men were able to keep this advantage and won the set 25-20. Kaan Gürbüz scored the last point and with a 2-0 lead in the return match, Fenerbahçe had already secured their spot in the semis. Therefore, the third set did not have much of a meaning anymore, Fenerbahçe played relaxed and stormed to a comprehensive 25-15 win, much to the delight of the 700 passionate and noisy fans in attendance.