Alianza make history with first Club World Championship triumph

Club Alianza Lima made history on Wednesday, producing the first victory of a Peruvian team in the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship, and will enter the last day of pool play matches in São Paulo very much in the race for a spot in the semifinals of the tournament.

The first team from their country to compete in the event, Alianza faced reigning Asian champions Zhetysu VC of Kazakhstan in the second match of the day at the Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu and recovered from a first-set loss to come back and win 3-1 (24-26, 25-21, 25-23, 26-24).

• Watch the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship on VBTV

Second-placed in the last edition of the South American Championship, Alianza earned their first three points in Pool A after falling to hosts Osasco São Cristovão Saúde on Tuesday and will likely challenge the Brazilians and Italians Savino Del Bene Scandicci on Thursday for the pool's two spots in the semifinals. Zhetysu, which continue with no points after going down for the second time in as many days, have remote chances of going forward.

One of Alianza's most experienced players in the squad that's competing in Brazil, Argentine national team outside hitter Elina Rodríguez, a Tokyo Olympian, led the team's scoring efforts in their historic victory, tallying 22 points (20 kills, two aces). Fellow outside hitter Ysabella Sánchez added 16 (13 kills, two blocks, one ace), one more than French opposite Maëva Orlé.

"We're very happy," libero and team captain Esmeralda Sánchez reacted. "We're the first Peruvian team to ever win a match at this level, and that brought many emotions to us. We've been working very hard, and today we knew how to come back after dropping the first set."

Zhetysu had Russian outside hitter Mariya Frolova as their most productive player with 17 points (16 kills, one ace), followed by middle blocker and team captain Kristina Anikonova, who contributed 14, with nine kills, four blocks and one ace.

2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship: full schedule and results

The second Round of Pool A matches will be completed later on Wednesday, with the duel involving Osasco and Scandicci starting at 20:30 local time (23:30 UTC). On Thursday, Alianza and Scandicci play first, at 17:00 (20:00 UTC), with Osasco and Zhetysu completing the schedule at 20:30 (23:30 UTC).

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