(from right to left) Ambassador to Japan Mr. Sermet Atacanli, Turkey Volleyball Federation President Mr. Erol Ural Kanabiyik and the Turkey Minister of State for Foreign Trade Mr. Zafer Gaglayan watched Turkey claim a vital win over Serbia in Tokyo |
Tokyo, Japan, November 6, 2010 - After claiming a crucial 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-20) win over Serbia in the first match of the second round in Tokyo on Saturday, Turkey opposite spiker Neriman Ozsoy says her side's ambitions can now change with a top-four spot potentially within reach.
"We have made a good start and now we still have a chance, even of the final four maybe," 22-year-old Ozsoy said. "We deserve to be here and now we have a chance of going further. Today's win was crucial."
FIVB Women's World Championship Japan 2010 official page
The result means that Turkey, who started the second round with a 1-2 win-loss record, move to 2-2, so keeping alive their chances of recording their best-ever finish at an FIVB Women's World Championship. Turkey finished 12th in their one and only appearance in 2006. Serbia, meanwhile, drop to 2-2.
Watched by the Turkish Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Mr Zafer Gaglayan, and the Turkish ambassador, Mr Sermet Atacanli, Turkey got their second-round campaign off to the best start possible with victory over an error-prone Serbia with tournament top scorer Darnel Neslihan maintaining her prolific form by registering 17 points. World No.22 Turkey shocked the 2006 World Championship bronze medallists Serbia, ranked ninth in the world, who had an day they would prefer to forget.
"We know how to play them and vice versa, we are used to their play," added Ozsoy, who was Turkey's third best scorer with 11 points. "But we received well and served well and were better in defence. Serbia have a very tall team but we played very well in attack. It was great having the additional support of the minister and ambassador. It was great motivation for us and you can see by the result, it was very much appreciated."
Turkey now face another sizeable hurdle on day two of the second round, Sunday, with a match against hosts Japan.
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