Women’s pro volleyball: Butler, Chieri win Challenge Cup; Wilhite-Parsons leads in NEC in Japan

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 moved on after winning two sets because of superior set ratio but went on to beat Milano 18-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11 to advance to the semifinals

Kara Bajema was the second-top scorer for VakifBank with 16 kills, two aces and a block. Chiaka Ogbogu added five kills and two blocks. Jordan Thompson led Milano with 25 kills, a block, and an ace. Jordan Larson had 12 kills, three aces and a block. Dana Rettke had two kills and a block ias a sub.

Fenerbahce eliminated Conegliano after winning the first two sets even though Conegliano won the match 25-23, 25-15, 23-25, 20-25, 13-15. Kathryn Plummer had 12 kills and a block and Kelsey Robinson-Cook had 12 kills.

Novara was the only Italian team to advance when it swept Stuttgart 25-18, 25-19, 25-21. McKenzie Adams did not play for Novara. Krystal Rivers led Stuttgart with 14 kills. Simone Lee had seven kills and a block in a substitute appearance.

CEV Cup

Scandicci advanced to the final despite losing 25-21, 18-25, 26-24, 23-25, 15-10 to THY, but advanced because of a superior set ratio. Haleigh Washington had four blocks and three kills for Scandicci. Madi Kingdon Rishel had 21 kills and two aces for THY.

Alba Blaj advanced to the final by beating CSM Targoviste 25-21, 25-23, 19-25, 25-20. Kaitlyn Hord made her return to the Alba Blaj lineup and came off the bench to have three kills and a block.

Challenge Cup

Brionne Butler, who had a kill, and Chieri were crowned Challenge Cup champions after they dispatched CSM Lugoj in the final 25-21, 25-21, 25-21.

Italy

Scandicci (19-5) held off Cuneo 25-19, 22-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-13 for its fourth win in five matches. Washington had seven kills, ablock, and an ace. Anna Stevenson-Hall had nine kills and two blocks for Cuneo (9-15). Dani Drews had five kills as a substitute.

Conegliano (23-1) bounced back to sweep Firenze 25-15, 25-20, 25-17 as Robinson-Cook had 10 kills (.500) and three blocks. Stephanie Samedy had two kills as a substitute. Rhamat Alhassan had a kill for Firenze (9-15).

Milano (18-6) won its third league match in a row by beating Novara 17-25, 25-20, 25-21,…