Press release

Doha, Qatar, October 14, 2011 – Rabita Baku won the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship gold medal by defeating VakifBank TTelekom Istanbul 25-15, 25-18, 25-9 Friday evening in Doha, Qatar.

Natasa Osmokrovic sparked Rabita Baku early and finished with 16 points. Natalya Mammadova ended the match with 12 points in the winning effort. Bahar Toksoy and Malgorzata Glinka led VakifBank TTelekom with 10 points each.

While VakifBank TTelekom held a slim 3-2 in aces, Rabita Baku benefited from 24 opponent errors and held their own errors to four. Rabita Baku were playing their fourth match in four days. VakifBank TTelekom, which defeated Rabita Baku in the final round of the 2011 CEV Champions League, had not lost in set in the tournament entering the gold-medal match.

All seven gold-medal matches have been decided in three sets. In addition, the 2011 championship is the first year a Brazilian club did not reach the gold-medal match.

For additional information on the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship, click here. For more informaton on the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship, click here. For Daily Bulletins for the tournament, click here.

Rabita Baku gained a 8-2 lead to start the first set as Natasa Osmokrovic scored five attacks in the opening stages. Bahar Toksoy placed a block on the stat sheet to close the gap to 8-4. Ozge Cemberci served an ace and Toksoy hit a quick attack to allow VakifBank TTelekom to close to 9-7 at a Rabita Baku timeout. Iryna Zhukova notched an ace to push Rabita Baku back in front by five at 12-7. After VakifBank TTelekom had closed to three at 16-13, Rabita Baku tallied an ace by Mira Golubovic and Osmokrovic’s sixth attack point of the set for a 19-13 advantage. VakifBank TTelekom hit wide out a timeout and Natasa Krsmanovic added a quick attack for a 21-13 margin. Osmokrovic scored a sixth consecutive point at 22-13 with another attack. Rabita Baku finished out the set 25-15. Osmokrovic tallied eight points in the opening set.

VakifBank TTelekom scored the first three points of the second set including an ace by Toksoy and attack by Malgorzata Glinka. Mammadova brought Rabita Baku back to within one at 3-2 with a spike and block. However, VakifBank TTelekom increased their margin to 6-2 following a Cemberci block. Mammadova helped Rabita Baku back to within one at 7-6 with a spike. Jelena Nikolic pushed VakifBank Telekom to a 9-6 advantage with an attack, only to have Rabita Baku answered with the next two points. Krsmanovic placed a block on the other side of the net to knot the score at 11-11. Osmokrovic’s deep corner shot put Rabita Baku in front 15-14. Osmokrovic extended the lead with an attack and VakifBank TTelekom hit wide to secure Rabita Baku an 18-15 lead at a timeout. Krsmanovic and Mammadova down back-to-back spikes to cruise in front 20-15. Out of a timeout, VakifBank TTelekom committed an error and Osmokrovic continued her offensive output with an attack at 22-15. VakifBank TTelekom hit into the net to yield a 23-15 advantage. Rabita Baku concluded the second set with a 25-18 victory.

Rabita Baku started the third set with a 5-2 advantage as Golubovic took a quick set for a spike leading to a VakifBank TTelekom timeout. Osmokrovic added to the lead at 6-2 with a spike. VakifBank came back to within two at 7-5. Rabita Baku rebuilt their four-point advantage at 9-5 with an Osmokrovic attack. Starovic powered an attack off the block followed by a Mammadova block to create an 11-6 Rabita Baku advantage. The momentum continued for Rabita Baku as they surged to 16-6 as part of a 9-1 scoring run as Mammadova scored two attacks heading into the technical timeout. Starovic added another point with a block out of the break, VakifBank TTelekom miscommunicated on the next play and Krsmanovic blocked another ball for a 19-6 advantage. Golubovic charted another block at 22-9 and Rabita Baku cruised to a 25-9 victory capped by a Golubovic attack.