The 21-year-old outside hitter hammered 27 points to secure the win.
Brazil spoiled the party for the large crowd in Istanbul, giving hosts Turkiye their initial defeat in the Women`s Volleyball Nations League 2025. Fueled by an exceptional performance from Ana Cristina de Souza, the Brazilian side secured a 3-1 victory against the home squad in the final pool match. This win propelled Brazil into second place in the VNL standings with 20 points (7-1 record), edging out Turkiye who are now third with 19 points (7-1 record).
Brazil outperformed Turkiye across all statistical categories in their 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 25-15) triumph. The standout player was 21-year-old outside hitter Ana Cristina, who recorded a match-high 27 points, including two blocks, an ace, and a 57% attack efficiency, scoring the decisive point. Middle blocker Diana Duarte Alecrim contributed 13 points with a 67% kill success rate and three blocks. Outside hitter Julia Bergmann and middle blocker Lorena Giovana Viezel also reached double digits with 12 and 11 points respectively. Brazilian star Gabriela Guimaraes (Gabi) made another appearance, contributing one point in attack during the fourth set.
“I am truly pleased to be here, playing in Turkey. It feels like home,” Ana Cristina commented. “We performed exceptionally well as a team. Everyone contributed significantly, which allowed us to secure another win. The atmosphere was fantastic; even though the fans weren`t supporting us, it was wonderful to play here. We recognize Turkey as a formidable team, so we knew it wouldn`t be simple, but we executed our plan effectively.” She added, “I feel very much at ease playing with this group. My teammates provide immense support, and that makes all the difference. When you have your teammates backing you on the court, you can get better. Now, the priority is rest, then we will concentrate on our upcoming matches in Japan. Our goal is to continue improving, practicing, and always giving our maximum effort.”
For Turkiye, the top scorers were outside hitters Ebrar Karakurt with 17 points and Yaprak Erkek with 15 points. Opposite Melissa Vargas also contributed 14 points.
The day`s final VNL match, featuring Serbia against Poland, was underway in Belgrade at the time of this report.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick