Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, September 9, 2022 – Hefty Tran Thi Thanh Thuy scored a match-high 20 points to steer classy Vietnam to 3-0 rout of Indonesia, as in-form Thailand cruised to a sensational 3-0 triumph against Philippines on the opening day of the 2nd ASEAN Grand Prix Women’s Volleyball Invitation at Chartchai Hall here on Friday.
The Vietnam’s exceptional win was their first ever in the ASEAN Grand Prix. At the inaugural edition three years ago, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand tested their mettle in the Grand Prix, which was split into the first leg at Terminal 21 Hall in Nakhon Pathom and the second leg in Santa Rosa, Philippines. Vietnam lost all six matches contested in both legs.
“This is the second time we took part in the ASEAN Grand Prix in Thailand. This time, we have enough good players in our team and we also had a chance to train intensively in Bangkok for two weeks and as a result, we had a good preparation for this Grand Prix,” Vietnam head coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet said in interview with AVC.
“Vietnam played Indonesia before at the SEA Games early this year in Hanoi, but at that time, I was not assigned to coach the team. However, I think two middle blockers in my team played better than what they did in the SEA Games.
“In general, we played well, but in the first set, we made a slow start and that was why Indonesia led us initially and we just came back to beat them. We next take on Philippines. Actually, we played them before at the AVC Cup for Women and as far as I’m concerned, Philippines in this Grand Prix are much stronger than the Philippine team in the SEA Games. Therefore, we cannot underestimate them,” Nguyen Tuan Kiet, who coached Vietnam to the fourth-place finish, their best performance at the AVC Cup for Women, for the first time in 10 years.
Against Indonesia in their opening clash of the single round-robin ASEAN Grand Prix, Vietnam fielded a strong lineup spearheaded by the 193cm-tall Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, Pham Thi Nguyet Anh and Hoang Thi Kieu Trinh.
Indonesia, which succumbed to 1-3 defeat to Vietnam in this year’s SEA Games, made a strong start to play neck and neck against the Vietnamese. With talented Megawati Hangesri Pertiwi and Mediol Stiovanny Yoku unleashing on several powerful blows, Indonesia led all the way in the first set until 19-19. Vietnam then found a way through the impregnable wall, with Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and Doan Thi Lam Oamh producing sensational blocking…
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