Women’s pro report: Frantti, Thompson lead VakifBank; Annie Drews has big week in Japan

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

Türkiye

VakifBank earned a four-set win over rival THY as Ali Frantti led with 12 kills and four blocks and Jordan Thompson had 12 kills and three aces. Chiaka Ogbogu sat due to foreigner limits.

VakifBank (10-1) took its first loss, beaten by Fenerbahce in four sets. Thompson had 10 kills, a block and an ace. Frantti had four kills in two sets and Ogbogu was out again.

Fenerbahce beat Sariyer, which got three kills and a block from Simone Lee, in its earlier match. 

Payton Caffrey led PTT to a four-set win over Cukurova.with 22 kills (.538) and two blocks. But then PTT (3-7) was swept by THY as Caffrey had nine kills.

Setter Lauren Carlini and Aydin upset Nilufer in four sets as she had a kill and an ace. But then Aydin (4-6) was on the other side of it when it was swept by Sariyer (4-6). Carlini had a kill and a block for Aydin. Lee was top scorer as she had 19 kills (.405) and one block for Sariyer.

Kuzeyboru swept slumping Galatasaray as Sarah Parsons led with 14 kills and two blocks. Danielle Cuttino led Galatasaray with 12 kills and an ace. Logan Eggleston had seven kills, one block and one ace. Heather Gneiting had a kill and a block.

Galatasaray (3-7) bounced back to beat Karayollari as Cuttino led with 20 kills, a block and an ace. Eggleston added 11 kills, two blocks and an ace.

Muratpasa was swept byt league titan Eczacibasi. Stephanie Samedy led Muratpasa with 11 kills and Micaya White had two. Then, in the most exciting match of the week, Muratpasa (5-5) earned a hard-fought, five-set win over Kuzeyboru (7-3) as Samedy had 16 kills and White had two. Parsons led Kuzeyboru again with 21 kills, a block and an ace.

Japan

JT Marvelous (10-0) swept Aranmare as Annie Drews had 14 kills and a block  and then it cruised past rival Hisamitsu Springs (8-2) as Drews had 11 kills, a block and an ace. McKenzieAdams finished with five kills and a…