Türkiye advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 CEV Women’s European Volleyball Championship with a commanding 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan on Tuesday in Istanbul.
The defending champions won 25-14, 25-16, 25-22 at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall after finishing second in Pool A behind Poland.
Melissa Vargas led Türkiye with 16 points, while Zehra Gunes added 12 and Hande Baladin contributed 10.
Türkiye keeps title defence on track
Türkiye controlled the opening set from the outset, cruising to a 25-14 victory.
Azerbaijan responded with a stronger start in the second, but Türkiye quickly regained control and pulled away to take the set 25-16.
The visitors mounted their strongest challenge in the third set, but Türkiye held its nerve to close out the match 25-22 and complete the sweep.
Polina Rahimova led Azerbaijan with 12 points in what was her final international appearance.
Türkiye will face Germany in the quarterfinals on Thursday in Istanbul.
