Vinh Phuc, Vietnam, April 29, 2023 – Gunning for making the podium for the first time ever, Sport Center 1 became the only team undefeated in the 2023 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship at the Vinh Phuc Gymnasium while outplaying King Whale Taipei on Saturday to storm into the semifinals as the Pool A winners.
Tran Thi Thanh Thuy chipped in with 17 points including 13 attacks for Sport Center 1, while Tran Tu Linh and Hoang Thi Kieu Trinh added 10 points apiece. Flavio De Carvalho Beatriz scored a match-high 24 points including 23 attacks for King Whale Taipei.
Sport Center 1, fielding all Vietnam national team players in their final preparation for the next week’s 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA)) Games in Cambodia, pulled off stunning 3-1 (25-12, 25-23, 20-25, 25-23) victory against the Chinese Taipei side in their last preliminary Pool A clash, stretching their unbeaten record to three wins in a row in the continent’s topflight club championship. However, Sport Center 1 and King Whale Taipei both advanced to the cross semifinals due to be held on Monday.
In an eagerly-anticipated match to determine the Pool A winners on Saturday, Sport Center 1 fielded a strong lineup spearheaded by hard-hitting Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, who has been playing professionally in the Japan V. League Division 1 with PFU Blue Cats, while King Whale Taipei remained strong, with Wu Fang-Yu, Lin She-Ho and Flavio De Carvalho Beatriz from Brazil the backbone of the team.
The 3,000-seater competition hall was filled to its seating capacity on Saturday as thousands of home fans turned out to cheer their team. Sport Center 1 made a strong start in the first set, with Thanh Thuy overpowering the small blockers with her spectacular attacks and the 184cm-tall Tran Thi Bich Thuy and Tran Tu Ninh, 179cm, producing solid blocks to help the host side race to the commanding lead with a surprise 11-point clear at 15-4.
King Whale Taipei tried to hit back, but the Vietnamese side performed superbly as they intensified their defence, allowing the rivals difficult scoring opportunities and at the same time entertained their cheering home fans with their gutsy display to win the one-sided set 25-12.
Conceding one set, King Whale Taipei upped their tempo in the second set. Lin Shu-Ho and Carvalho Beatriz steered the visitors to the initial 9-5 lead with their powerful cross-court attacks, but Sport Center 1 gradually pulled their game together and storm back to level it at 15-15,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Asian Volleyball Confederation…