Pro volleyball report: Thompson, Frantti, Ogbogu lead VakifBank

This is our weekly update on USA women playing professional volleyball around the world. Most of the players are former NCAA standouts:

Champions League

VakifBank finished the pool stage with a five-set upset of Milano as Jordan Thompson led with 15 kills, Ali Frantti added seven kills and four aces and Chiaka Ogbogu had a team-high four blocks and six kills. Milano, despite losing, finished atop of Pool A due to tiebreaks and earned a bye to the quarterfinals. Dana Rettke had three kills and two blocks. Kara Bajema came off the bench to have 11 kills, two blocks and an ace.

Mulhouse finished with a disappointing four-set loss to Stara Pazova. Jaali Winters had nine kills and three blocks, Annayka Legros chipped in five kills and a block and Carli Snyder had six kills.

Scandicci finished Pool B unbeaten after defeating Eczacibasi in four sets. Haleigh Washington appeared briefly as her team earned a bye into the quarterfinals.

Vasas swept Maritza Plovdiv and Taylor Bannister led all scorers with 15 kills, two blocks and two aces. Ciara DeBell led Plovdiv with eight kills. Vasas finished third in Pool B and goes to the CEV Cup quarterfinals.

Potsdam advanced to the knockout rounds for the first time in club history by sweeping Calcit Kamnik. Justine Wong-Orantes was credited with 67% positive reception and Breland Morrissette had six kills (1.000), one block and one ace. Danielle Harbin added three kills and an ace.

Budowlani Lodz was swept by Fenerbahce. Mac May had one ace as a substitute. Lodz will compete in the CEV Cup quarterfinals after their third-place finish in Pool C.

Kathryn Plummer had 17 kills, hitting. 577, three aces and a block as  Imoco Conegliano wrapped up Pool D with a four set win over Rzeszow.

Stuttgart advanced by by sweeping Beveren behind Krystal Rivers, who had 14 kills (.591), three blocks and an ace.

CEV Cup

Beziers roared back from their defeat in the first leg by sweeping and eliminating Crvena Zvezda. Serena Gray had 10 kills (.692), five blocks and two aces. Taylor Fricano had 13 kills and two blocks and Claire Hoffman 10 kills. Setter Ella May Powell had a kill while setting. Beziers plays Budowlani Lodz in the quarterfinals.

Madeline Haynes had 24 kills (.475), a block, and an ace as Viteos NUC took advantage of a key absence from Dresdner and eliminated the German…