Volleyball recap, Aug. 1: Turkiye overcomes slow start to roll Dominican Republic

Zehra Gunes and Ilkin Aydin of Team Türkiye celebrate during the Women’s Preliminary Round - Pool C match between Türkiye and the Dominican Republic on day six of the Paris Olympic Games. - Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Zehra Gunes and Ilkin Aydin of Team Türkiye celebrate during the Women’s Preliminary Round – Pool C match between Türkiye and the Dominican Republic on day six of the Paris Olympic Games. – Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

The calendar turned to August on Thursday as the 2024 Paris Olympics volleyball tournament turned towards its final matchday.

Thursday’s slate features four games on the women’s side of the tournament with Turkiye-Dominican Republic, Brazil-Japan, Italy-Netherlands and France-China.

Pool C: Turkiye 3, Dominican Republic 1

Entering the Olympics Pool C always looked on paper like the toughest in the women’s bracket. With four teams of the top 11 teams in the world rankings, there was never going to be an easy match.

Turkiye learned that the hard way in its first match after it needed five sets to get past the Netherlands, coming from behind after losing the first two sets.

The Turks learned the hard way again against the Dominican Republic, falling behind 23-16 in the first set before dropping the set 25-21. The Dominican Republic’s attack was very balanced behind Gaila Ceneida Gonzalez Lopez, who led the way with five points in the first set. The Dominicans were also efficient, going 14/37 in the first set on attacks.

Turkiye completely flipped the script in the second, getting the offense rolling by going 18/30 on the attack. The defense was also extremely stout in the set with 14 digs compared to the Dominican’s four. Melissa Teresa Vargas led the way through two with 16 points on an insanely efficient 15/20 attacking and added in six digs just for good measure.

Up 21-15 at one point, Turkiye looked to be cruising in the third but the Dominican Republic pulled it back within a couple points at 24-22. Luckily for Turkiye, Vargas was there once again to finish it off with yet another emphatic kill, her 11th point of the set. She had more points in the third set alone than her next highest teammate, Eda Erdem Dundar, had through three sets (10).

From there it was all Turkiye as it just steamrolled past the Dominican Republic in the fourth set behind Vargas 25-15. Vargas finished with 36 points on 26/46 including two blocks, three aces and 10 digs. Erdem finished as the next highest scorer with 14 points, the same as the Dominican’s highest scorer, Brayelin Elizabeth Martinez.

Turkiye pretty much locked up a place in the knockout rounds with five points through two matches and faces Italy Sunday at 3 a.m. ET in its final match of pool play. With it’s second loss, the Dominican Republic is eliminated and will face Italy in it’s final match of the tournament Saturday at Friday at 3 a.m.