Brazil celebrate winning the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's U23 World Championship in Ankara
Lausanne, Switzerland, December 26, 2015 - Brazil got to show off their emerging stars as they overcame Turkey and their home crowds to claim the title at the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's U23 World Championship in Ankara.
Brazil's players slide towards the gold medals and the trophy, after dominating the U23 World Championship.
Going into the final, Turkey was the only undefeated team in the tournament - though they did get a bit of a scare in pool play when Bulgaria took them all the way in the Balkan derby. The home side eventually pulled through to avert a full comeback with a 3-2 (25-20, 25-22, 23--25, 19-25, 15-8).
Brazil had already lost to Turkey earlier in the tournment, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-14) in pool play and the home team had cruised through to the final undefeated.
Ezgi Dagdenleder and Kubra Akman block Drussyla Costa to lead Turkey to a win in pool play over Brazil.
But the next time around the South Americans outblocked their opponents with an amazing 22 stuffs to claim the most important victory of them all: 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-19, 25-22), before a sellout crowd of some 7,600 fans at Baskent Hall in the Turkish capital.
The Dominican Republic, that had gone to Brazil in five sets in the semifinals, rebounded with a comeback win to beat Japan 3-2 (21-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-16, 15-11) for bronze.
Brayelin Martinez of the Dominican Republic hits over the Japanese block of Misaki Yamauchi and Nanaka Sakamoto in the bronze medal match.
Ankara's Baskent Hall got sellout crowds to cheer the home side on, though Brazil were unperturbed in the final.
Brazil's Silva Juma was the mastermind behind the success and she claimed both the MVP and the Best Setter awards, leading the 'Dream Team' of Ankara 2015.
Final ranking of the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's U23 World Championship:
