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Türkiye completes first VNL week undefeated—all eyes now on Istanbul for Week 2

Turkiye women’s national volleyball team lines up during pre-match ceremony before 3-1 win over France in first 2025 VNL game, Beijing, China, June 4, 2025. (AA Photo)

Türkiye’s Women’s National Volleyball Team successfully finished the first week of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

The team started the tournament by defeating France, followed by a win against the Netherlands. In their third match, they drew attention with a narrow 3-2 victory over Poland. Continuing their strong form, Türkiye also outperformed China, finishing the week undefeated with four wins.

Hande Baladin spikes from opposite in match where Turkiye women’s national volleyball team beats China 3-2 in fourth and final 2025 VNL game, Beijing, China, June 8, 2025. (AA Photo)

By completing the China stage without any losses, Türkiye has reaffirmed its status as one of the tournament favorites. The second week of the VNL will take place in Istanbul, where the team will play in front of their home fans.

The group stage of the Nations League lasts three weeks, with the top eight teams in the standings advancing to the final phase. The “Sultans of the Net” aim to maintain their winning streak by using their home advantage during the second week in Istanbul.

Turkish women’s national volleyball team celebrates after defeating France 3-1 in their opening match of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Beijing, China, June 4, 2025. (AA Photo)

Aleksia Karutasu: Leading the tournament in scoring, attack

Türkiye’s Aleksia Karutasu has been a standout star in the opening week, topping several key individual rankings:

Best scorer
Karutasu leads the tournament with 91 points (73 attack points, 8 block points, 10 serve points), ahead of Canada’s Van Ryk with 89 points and Serbia’s Uzelac with 82 points.
Best attacker
She also ranks first as the best attacker with 73 points scored, a 46.79% success rate on 64 attack attempts, and an average of 18.25 points per match.
Second best server
Karutasu ranks second in serving with 10 serve points and a 15.15% success rate out of 42 attempts, just behind Canada’s Van Ryk.