Women’s pro volleyball: Bajema, VakifBank win in Champions quarters; 27 kills for Chaussee

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 made quick work of Milano by sweeping the Italian side in the first leg of the quarterfinals 25-18, 25-19, 25-17. Kara Bajema had her best match of the season for VakifBank with eight kills (hitting .800) and a block. Chiaka Ogbogu had seven kills (.636) and two blocks. Jordan Thompson led Milano with 12 kills and an ace. Jordan Larson was limited to one kill while Dana Rettke had one kill as a substitute.

Novara battled past Stuttgart in their first quarterfinal matchup 21-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-23. Krystal Rivers led Stuttgart with 20 kills. Simone Lee came off the bench to have eight kills and an ace.

Imoco Conegliano was handed its worst defeat of the season when it was swept by Fenerbahce 25-19, 25-17, 25-19. Kelsey Cook had six kills for Conegliano, while Kathryn Plummer was limited to four.

VOLLEYBALL WORLD SEMIS PREVIEW: The home matches of the Champions League Volley quarterfinals brought so much intensity to the competition with a palpable feeling of how the stakes have risen immensely going into this round. In the next few days, the best eight teams in Europe go het to head one more time to decide which of them will keep a one in four chance of claiming the most coveted club volleyball trophy in the world. Click here for more from Volleyball World.

CEV Cup

THY couldn’t hold a late first-set lead and was swept by Scandicci 27-25, 25-12, 25-18. Madi Kingdon Rishel led THY with 12 kills (.357). Haleigh Washington had a match-high four blocks and three kills for Scandicci, one match away from the final.

Italy

Chieri broke its losing streak by beating Vallefoglia 15-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21. Annie Drews led Vallefoglia (9-14) with 11 kills and an ace. Setter Micha Hancock added two kills, two aces, and two blocks.

Milano ended Cuneo’s three-match winning streak 25-22, 25-17, 25-15. Rettke was named MVP for Milano (17-6) as she had eight kills (.615), two aces, and a block. Thompson and Larson did not play. Dani Drews had four kills off the bench for Cuneo (9-14), while Anna Stevenson-Hall had two.

Casalmaggiore earned a key victory in its bid for a playoff spot, coming back in the…