AMMAN, Jordan — A new champion will be crowned as first-time finalists Chinese Taipei and Korea clash for the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship trophy on Saturday at the Prince Hamzah Sports Hall.
All roads lead to the 6 p.m. championship game after Korea and Chinese Taipei emerged as the best two teams in Asia in this age group, taking down the finalists of the 2023 edition, Japan and China.
Korea dethroned erstwhile-unbeaten and defending champion Japan with a come-from-behind 20-25, 25-19, 15-25, 25-22, 15-8, in a classic five-set semifinal duel.
Team captain Son Seoyeon played her heart out with a performance to remember of 34 points to pull off an epic comeback.
“I scored a lot of points, but we played as one team,” said an emotional Son through a translator.
“My team encouraged me, ‘You can do it.’ so I wanted to win it for them.”
Jang Suin also stepped up with 21 points. Eo Minseo had eight blocks. Lee Seoin and Tiara Moon provided the spark from the bench, with the former nailing the game-winning block.
“Chinese Taipei is not an easy opponent. But if we play as one team again like tonight, we can win the match,” Son said.
Korea, which joined the Asian Women’s U16 for the first time, started its campaign with a loss to China but won five straight games since then.
Chinese Taipei also made its first ever AVC U16 final after outlasting China, 25-20, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23.
China was four points away from forcing a fifth set with a 21-16 lead in the fourth, but Chinese Taipei turned to Chen Ting-Yi’s vicious spikes and Chang Yun-Chen’s service to cut the deficit down to one, 21-20.
Chen scored three of Chinese Taipei’s last five points to advance to the championship game.
“This is the first time for Chinese Taipei to fight for a championship. We will do our best to bring home the championship in Taiwan,” said Chen, who unleashed 26 points from 25 kills and an ace.
Chang backstopped Chen with 20 points, highlighted by five aces. Chan Tzu-Yun had 16 points, as Chinese Taipei exacted a sweet revenge for its semifinal loss to the 2023 AVC Women’s U16 runner-up China two years ago, when it finished with a bronze medal.
Xu Rui Lin’s 24-point effort went for naught. Chen Xin Yi had 20 points, including seven blocks, for China.
Miko Takahashi led Japan with 23 points. Ren Sugimoto had 20 points, while Rina Hayasaka and Kana Mizuno contributed 16 and 13, respectively.
Japan and China, the 2023 finalists, battle for bronze at 3 p.m.