Turkey whitewash Italy to book 2019 VNL semifinal berth

NANJING - FIVB Volleyball Natioins League (VNL) runner-up Turkey secured the semifinal berth in Nanjing, by scoring a straight-set win over Italy on Thursday.

Turkey led on all front with 38 attacks, 12 blocks and five aces to win the game 25-21, 25-15 and 25-21, beating Italy's 29 attacks, three blocks and two aces.

Ebrar Karakurt led the Turkey team with 19 points while Kubra Cliskan added 12. Paola Ogechi Egonu scored 12 points for World Championship silver medallists Italy and Miryam Fatime Sylla nine.

The Turkish team got redemption from their five-set loss to Italy in the preliminary round on June 19.

Within the victory over Italy, the Turkey team now had a 2-0 win-loss record in the Pool B and secured the top spot of the Pool as well as the final four berth.

Italy will clash against host China on Friday, the winner of the game will get another berth for the semifinal.

Early on Thursday, Brazil rallied back twice to beat Poland in full sets 22-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-19 and 15-10 in a Pool A match.

Poland who lost 3-1 to the United States on Wednesday, was thus stopped from the last four in the six-team finals which is being played in two groups in a single round robin format.