Debutantes Conegliano win FIVB Women's Club World Championship

SHAOXING, China - Imoco Volley Conegliano of Italy survived an early scare to beat Eczacibasi Vitra Istanbul of Turkey 3-1 to win the FIVB Women's Club World Championship here on Sunday evening.

Conegliano, who made their debut at the championship, rallied from one set down to beat former twice champions Eczacibasi 22-25, 25-14, 25-19, 25-21.

It was the second victory for Conegliano over Eczacibasi during the week-long tournament as the three-time Italian national champions also won over their Turkish peers in the championship curtain-raiser 3-1 on December 3.

Paola Ogechi Egonu scored a match-high 33 points with Raphaela Folie adding 11 for Conegliano, while Tijana Boskovic led Eczacibasi with 24 and Natalia Pereira also contributed 17.

In the astonishing opening set, Eczacibasi, the former winners in 2015 and 2016, rallied from 8-16 down to overtake Conegliano and win it 25-22 following a 13-2 scoring spree initiated by both Natalia and Boskovic.

However, the Italian champions in 2016, 2018 and 2019, displayed their prowess by taking a quick second set 25-14 to level the score, and rushed ahead to take the command of the match, winning the following two sets to wind up their victory.

During the third place match, defending champions Vakifbank Istanbul of Turkey swept Igor Gorgonzola Novara of Italy 26-24, 25-23, 25-21.

The Turks won 51-43 in attacks, with Isabelle Haak scoring the match-high 23 points and Ebrar Karakurt making 12 for Vakifbank, while Jovana Brakocevic led Novara with 14 and Elitsa Vasileva added 10 points.

Earlier, two Brazilian clubs battled it out for the fifth place with Itambe Minas beating Dentil Praia 18-25, 25-14, 18-25, 25-22, 15-9.

Deja Mcclendon was the best scorer of 23 points for Minas and Thaisa Daher de Menezes added 18, while Brayelin Elizaabeth Martinez had a team-high 21 points for Praia with Nicole Fawcett providing 18 points.

"We didn't win a medal but this is a good result and a good recognition of our efforts. We improved in each match and we will grow better each day. It's a good step for us," said Minas coach Nicola Negro.

In the seventh place match, Guangdong Evergrande beat fellow Chinese club Tianjin Bohai Bank 28-26, 25-20, 25-21 as both squads rested their key players due to the tight schedule of the Chinese national league.

Chen Peiyan scored a match-high 17 points for Guangdong with Dobriana Rabadzhieva adding 10, while Destinee Hooker led Tianjin with 16 points and her teammate Yuan Xinyue contributed nine points.

"We learned a lot from the Women's Club World Championship. We know that we lag behind the best volleyball players in the world, especially in the power and speed," said Tianjin coach Chen Youquan.