Opposite hitter Aleksia Karutasu delivered a standout performance, scoring 38 points to lead Turkiye to a 3-2 victory (19-25, 25-20, 29-31, 28-26, 15-12) at the National Indoor Stadium.
Hande Baladin added 18 points, while Saliha Sahin contributed 16.
For China, outside hitter Zhuang Yushan led the scoring with 25 points, and team captain Gong Xiangyu chipped in with 19.
Despite missing key players, Turkiye won all four of its matches in Beijing, showing both strength and depth.
China, in the midst of a generational rebuild, ended the leg with two wins and two losses—a solid result considering the transition phase.
In the final match, China started strong. Quick attacks from Zhuang and middle blocker Wang Yuanyuan gave them a 14-9 lead in the first set, forcing a Turkiye timeout. China held the lead and took the set 25-19, with Zhuang scoring seven points.
The second set was tight until 16-all. Turkiye then stepped up with solid net defense and aggressive attacks. A powerful spike by Sahin sealed the set 25-20 and tied the match at 1-1.
The third set became a nail-biter. China recovered from an early 7-15 deficit and caught up at 24-24. After a tense exchange, China won the set 31-29 with a clutch block.
In the fourth set, China led early 6-2, but Turkiye kept their composure. At 19-19, both sides traded points until Turkiye took control late and won the set 28-26.
In the decisive fifth set, Karutasu dominated. After a strong finish by outside hitter Yaprak Erkek, Turkiye closed the match 15-12.
“It was a rollercoaster of a match—really tough, but we showed great fighting spirit,” said China captain Gong Xiangyu. “I’m proud of the team, and we’ll take valuable lessons from this loss.”
The Beijing leg featured six teams: China, Belgium, Poland, Thailand, Turkiye, and France.
Earlier in the day, Poland defeated Belgium 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 27-25) to finish with three wins and one loss. Thailand earned its only win of the tournament by beating France 3-1 (25-14, 19-25, 25-23, 25-13).
Related topics:
- Waves Set for 2025 Season with Strong Lineup and High Hopes
- Get Ready for College-Level Training at ETSU’s Elite Volleyball Camps
- 6 Best Volleyball Club: Top Picks for 2025
