Maar scores 24 as Canada beats host Turkey at men's Volleyball Nations League opener
Maar, McCarthy highlight 3-1 comeback; Canada next faces Poland on Thursday
Stephen Maar had a match-high 24 points as Canada opened play at the men's Volleyball Nations League with a 3-1 win over host Turkey on Tuesday.
Fynn McCarthy added 14 points for 12th-ranked Canada, which dropped the first set 25-17 before winning the next three 25-23, 25-21 and 25-21.
MAAR WINS IT FOR CANADA 🔥<br><br>After dropping the first set, <a href="https://twitter.com/VBallCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VBallCanada</a> climb back to win 3-1 over Turkey in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VNL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VNL</a> action <a href="https://t.co/M5sfQw7InG">pic.twitter.com/M5sfQw7InG</a>
—@CBCOlympicsEfe Mandiraci led No. 14 Turkey with 21 points.
"We had a very nervous start of the game," said Canada head coach Tuomas Sammelvuo. "But we knew it might have been like this, so we broke the ice and from the second set on, we got back to the game.
Canada next faces world No. 1 Poland on Thursday.
The Canadian men have already qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after finishing second behind Poland in their pool at the 2023 volleyball Olympic qualifying tournament.
WATCH | Replay of Canada's 3-1 win over Turkey in VNL:
Canadian roster
- Luke Herr – Winnipeg
- Brett Walsh – Calgary
- Ryley Barnes – Edmonton
- Nicholas Hoag – Sherbrooke, Que.
- Eric Loeppky – Steinbach, Man.
- Stephen Maar – Aurora, Ont.
- Pearson Eshenko – Banff, Alta.
- Fynn McCarthy – Lake Country, B.C.
- Danny Demyanenko – Toronto
- Lucas Van Berkel – Edmonton
- Xander Ketrzynski – Toronto
- Arthur Szwarc – Toronto
- Landon Currie – Coldstream, B.C.
- Justin Lui – Pickering, Ont.
- Reserve: Jordan Schnitzer – Surrey, B.C.
