In a thrilling five-set battle at the European Championships U18 Women, Turkey U18 Women edged past Italy U18 Women 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12) on July 9, 2026. The 17:30 CET clash lived up to its billing as a clash between two of Europe’s most talented youth programs, with Turkey ultimately prevailing thanks to clutch play in the deciding set.

Match Recap

Turkey started aggressively, using their powerful left-side attack from Zeynep Aydın to take the first set 25-22. Italy responded in the second set, capitalizing on Turkish serving errors and finding rhythm in their middle offense with Giulia Rossi scoring four kills. The third set saw Turkey regain control with a 5-0 run midway through, but Italy refused to fold, forcing a fifth set with a strong finish in the fourth. In the tie-break, Turkey opened a 6-3 lead and held off an Italian rally to win 15-12, sparked by a critical block from Elif Kaya at 13-11.

Standout Players

• Zeynep Aydın (TUR) – 22 points, 20 kills, 2 blocks
• Elif Kaya (TUR) – 14 points, 8 kills, 5 blocks, 1 ace
• Giulia Rossi (ITA) – 19 points, 17 kills, 2 blocks
• Alessia Bellini (ITA) – 45 assists, 2 aces

Turning Point

With the score tied 11-11 in the fifth set, Turkey’s Ayşe Yılmaz delivered a perfectly placed tip over the Italian block, followed by an ace from opposite Dilara Öztürk. Italy called timeout but couldn’t stop Elif Kaya from stuffing an Italian attack to make it 14-11. Turkey needed only one more point, and Zeynep Aydın sealed it with a cross-court kill that brought the Turkish bench to its feet.

What It Means

Turkey U18 Women improved to 2-1 in the tournament, keeping alive their hopes of topping the group. Italy fell to 1-2 but remain in contention with two pool matches left. The victory was especially sweet for Turkey after losing to Italy in last year’s U18 European Championship semifinals. Both teams displayed high-level volleyball, with Turkey’s blocking (13 total blocks) proving the difference against Italy’s fast-paced offense.