BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Trkiye edged past host China in five sets to claim its fourth consecutive victory at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Beijing leg on Sunday.
In the final match of the tournament, in-form opposite Aleksia Karutasu scored 38 points as Trkiye defeated China 3-2 (19-25, 25-20, 29-31, 28-26, 15-12) at the National Indoor Stadium.
Hande Baladin and Saliha Sahin contributed 18 and 16 points respectively for Trkiye.
Outside hitter Zhuang Yushan led China with 25 points, while captain and opposite Gong Xiangyu added 19.
Despite missing several key starters, Trkiye dominated the Beijing leg with four straight wins, showcasing depth and resilience.
China, currently undergoing a generational transition, delivered a respectable performance, finishing the tournament with two wins and two losses.
In the much-anticipated clash, China was quicker to settle into rhythm. With consecutive kill shots from Zhuang and middle blocker Wang Yuanyuan, the hosts surged to a 14-9 lead, prompting a Trkiye timeout.
China maintained momentum after the break and wrapped up the first set 25-19, with Zhuang scoring seven points.
The second set saw multiple ties before Trkiye pulled away after 16-all, combining strong net play with varied attacks. A powerful spike from Sahin leveled the match 1-1 with a 25-20 set win.
The third set turned into a thriller as China staged a comeback from 7-15 down, eventually tying it 24-24. With the crowd roaring, the two teams battled point for point until China clinched the set 31-29 with a decisive block.
China opened the fourth set strongly with a 6-2 lead, but Trkiye stayed composed and gradually clawed back. At 19-19, the set again turned into a fierce back-and-forth, with Trkiye winning key points late to take it 28-26.
In the final set, Karutasu took control, and after a spike from outside hitter Yaprak Erkek, Trkiye secured the win at 15-12.
"It was an intense rollercoaster of a match - incredibly tough, but we showed tremendous fighting spirit throughout. While I'm truly proud of our team's performance, the loss gives us valuable lessons to move forward," said China captain Gong.
The Beijing leg featured six national teams: China, Belgium, Poland, Thailand, Trkiye and France.
Earlier in the day, Poland defeated Belgium 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 27-25) to conclude the tournament with three wins and one loss. Thailand beat France 3-1 (25-14, 19-25, 25-23, 25-13) to notch its only win of the tournament.
