Bulgarian national player Merelin Nikolova played a match that cannot go unnoticed in Turkey. The 22-year-old opposite led Bahçelievler Bld. Spor to their first victory of the season in the Vodafone Sultanlar Ligi, after a dramatic comeback as a guest against Aydın B.Şehir Bld. Spor.

The Istanbul team survived a five-set battle and snatched the victory with a 3:2 (18:25, 23:25, 25:21, 27:25, 15:12) score, thus securing 2 points and finally "unlocking" their championship tally.

The strongest signal in the match came precisely from Nikolova, who finished with 25 points, but the numbers behind them are even more impressive:

• 25 points

• +5 (positive in the match)

• 5.5(!) aces

• 2 blocks

• 34% attack efficiency

This is a performance profile that not only brings points but also reverses the dynamic of the entire match – especially with direct service points, which at this level of women's volleyball are true "gold".

Aydın took a 2:0 lead in sets, but Bahçelievler found a way to come back into the match, equalize, and mentally endure in the tie-break:

It was precisely in the last two sets that the difference was seen – the guests showed more character, and Nikolova delivered the necessary "heavy" points when the pressure was on.

For the Bulgarian national team, such a match is excellent news for two reasons.

First – Nikolova shows that she can be a leading figure in a strong league like the Turkish one, especially at a moment when her team is under pressure and seeking its first success. Scoring 25 points in such a match is not just statistics – it's responsibility.

Second – 5 aces are a direct signal of a weapon that can decide sets at an international level. Serve is the element that most quickly "raises the ceiling" for an opposite, and Nikolova clearly demonstrates that she can win runs on her own.

34% attack efficiency is a metric that can be viewed two-sidedly – on one hand, there is room for more stability and effectiveness, but on the other hand, with a huge volume and pressure over five sets, this is a completely functional output, especially when so many direct points come from serves.