Turkish Sultans of the Net sweep France 3-0 in Ankara

The Turkish Women's National Volleyball Team, known as the "Filenin Sultanları" (Sultans of the Net), secured a decisive 3-0 victory against France in their second match of the second week of the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League held in Ankara. This win marks Turkey's fourth victory in the tournament.

The match saw Turkey take an early lead, capitalizing on strong blocking and effective spikes from Melissa Vargas, establishing a 5-1 advantage. Despite France narrowing the gap to 13-11 at one point, Turkey maintained composure, making fewer errors in the crucial final stages of the first set to win it 25-17, with Vargas contributing 8 points.

The second set was tightly contested, with the score tied at 7-7 early on. Turkey managed to pull ahead, extending its lead to 13-10 with service errors from France and service aces from İlkin Aydın. However, France fought back, leveling the score at 17-17 and even taking a brief lead at 20-21. A service run by Elif Şahin helped the Turkish team regain control, ultimately winning the set 25-23 in a closely fought battle.

France started the third set strongly, taking a 5-1 lead and forcing Turkey to call a timeout. Following the break, Vargas and Sinead Jack-Kısal led the charge, helping Turkey overcome the deficit and take a 10-9 lead. Although France mounted effective attacks, service errors allowed Turkey to equalize at 15-15. With continued strong performances from Vargas and Jack-Kısal, Turkey closed out the set 25-20, securing the match victory.

Melissa Vargas was the standout player, accumulating 22 points. This victory brings Turkey's record to 4 wins and 2 losses, while France's record stands at 1 win and 5 losses. The Turkish team is scheduled to face Germany on June 20 and China on June 21 in their upcoming matches.