Ankara, Turkey, May 24, 2018 - Meryem Boz's virtuoso display helped hosts Turkey seal a straight-sets win 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-19) over a struggling Argentina side, who remain without a victory and a point in the FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League.
Turkey fully merited their Pool 8 victory after another tenacious defensive display, which was sprinkled with some efficient attacking, and it was a combination that proved too much for an Argentina side who have now lost their opening six Volleyball Nations League matches - matching their poor start at last year's FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix. Turkey, meanwhile, kept themselves well in the hunt near the summit and will take some beating on this form after a fifth win in six games.
Meryem Boz was Turkey's top points scorer with 15 points, but she was wonderfully assisted by Meliha Ismailoglu, whose creative play and razor sharp reactions caught the eye on top of her 12-point contribution. Captain Erdem Dundar (10 points), setter Gamze Alikaya (nine points - five of which were aces) and libero Hatice Orge Guner also produced typically classy performances.
As for Argentina, Elina Rodriguez top-scored once more with 12 points and gave her all at the net, but the South Americans' other notorious points scorer Anahi Tosi was off her game for large parts despite finishing as her side's second top scorer with 10 points.
Roared on by the Baskent Volleyball Hall crowd, Turkey started like a train and surged into a 3-0 lead thanks to two thumping spikes from Meryem Boz, and after a mini Argentine comeback, Giovanni Guidetti's girls scored eight straight points to lead 14-5 and put the first set out of reach of an Argentina side who were extremely low on confidence. Argentina showed tremendous heart and fought back from an eight-point deficit at the second technical time out to close to within four at 19-15 behind, but Turkey composed themselves and went on another scoring burst with Ismailoglu's ace - her sixth point of the set - rounding out the set 25-16.
Into set two and Turkey, who are a side renowned for their team ethic rather than any individual scoring prowess, kept up their sustained pressure, with Alikaya and the imperious Ismailoglu pulling the strings. Ismailoglu scored a couple of spikes to edge Turkey into a 3-2 lead and that advantage was stretched to three points by the first technical time out after a woeful Anahi Tosi serve. To sum up Argentina's luck, Erdem's block rebounded off the unfortunate libero Tatiana Rizzo before another Erdem spike gave Turkey a handsome 16-9 lead at the second stoppage. Argentina's service reception was poor, and the hosts were able to cruise home 25-16 to take a two-set lead with only 56 minutes on the clock.
Turkey's blocking prowess - similar to that of Brazil in their win over Dominican Republic - was top notch and they continued where they left off in the third set. Replacement Beyza Arici's wonderful block got them off the mark, but the visitors threw caution to the wind in an effort to rescue the match and some fluid attacking handed them a 10-6 lead. Turkey though roared back with three straight points before an Alikaya ace - her third of the match - hauled them level at 11-11. A wonderfully placed Boz spike gave the hosts a two-point cushion, and thanks to some brilliant Alikaya serving, Turkey closed out the set 25-19 to record back-to-back home wins and a fourth victory in as many world-level encounters against Argentina. The hosts notched 15 block points - 1 more than Brazil managed earlier - in another defensive masterclass.
Turkey head to Serbia next week where they'll also play Belgium and Russia in a tough looking Pool 10, while Argentina face Japan, China and Italy in Hong Kong.