Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, August 11, 2024 – Thailand stamped their authority over the second leg of the 4th SEA V. League following their dramatic 3-1 win against long-time archrivals Vietnam in their last encounter for a clean sweep in the single round-robin competition at Chartchai Hall here on Sunday.
The fantastic 25-22, 25-17, 19-25, 25-15 victory in front of their home crowds of around 5,000 packing the competition venue gave current world No.14 and Asian champions Thailand a clean sweep of three straight wins which placed the host side at the top of the four-team standing with 9 points at the conclusion of the three-day contest on Sunday.
World No.32 Vietnam, which captured the AVC Challenge Cup title and the historic FIVB Challenger Cup bronze medal to their name, had 6 points from two wins against one loss to finish second place. Philippines came in third place with 3 points from one win agains two losses, with Indonesia on the bottom fourth position with one point from three losses in a row.
The final ranking of the second leg remained unchanged compared with the first leg the four participating teams had achieved at the Vinh Phuc Gymnasium in Vietnam last weekend as Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines had the podium finish in respective first, second and third places. Indonesia took the fourth place at both first leg and second leg.
Since the tournament inception in 2019, Thailand had captured all the titles out of seven contested in the round-robin, three-day competition. Indonesia came in second place in the first and second legs of the first edition in 2019, with Vietnam taking the remaining five. Philippines finished third position for four times including the latest two, while Indonesia took the remaining three.
Against the fast-improving Vietnam, which also held similar 2-0 win/loss record, Thailand fielded their strong lineup featuring setter Pornpun Guedpard, middle blocker and skipper Thatdao Nuekjang, another middle blocker Hattaya Bamrungsuk, opposite Pimpichaya Kokram and two outside hitters Ajcharaporn Kongyot and Chatchu-On Moksri, all of them were in the starting lineup at their VNL campaign this year.
Vietnam, despite missing team captain Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, remained strong offensively with the likes of powerful opposite Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, who stands 188cm tall, hard-attacking Vi Thi Nhu Quynh, Tran Tu Linh and experienced setter Doan Thi Lam Oanh.
In the well-fought first set, Thailand made a solid start to seize the lead for good with the five-point clear at 12-7, thanks to their impressive combination attacks from Chatchu-On and Ajcharaporn and solid blocks from Hattaya. Vietnam hit back, with Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen penetrating the Thai defence with her aggressive attacks and effective drops to reduce the margin to 21-22. Backed by the boisterous fans at the jam-packed stands, the host side maintained their rhythm and cruised on to win the thrilling set 25-22.
The second set turned out to be a comfortable affair for the host side as Ajcharaporn and Chatchu-On excelled in the Thai offensive system and Hattaya produced impeccable blocking to help the team prevail in this set 25-17 for the commanding 2-0 lead.
Conceding two sets in a row, Vietnam gradually pulled their game together and fought back in the third set. With Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen on fire in attack and Vi Thi Nhu Quynh hammering block-out kills, Vietnam raced to an initial 21-13 lead. Thailand made several substitutions in this set including outside hitter Sasipapron Janthawisut, setter Natthanicha Jaisaen and middle blocker Wimonrat Thanapan to try and find the best way to stop the Vietnam’s remarkable run. However, their intention did not pay off as Vietnam went on their near-flawless performance.
As Vietnam were taking a commanding 23-19 lead, Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen and Nguyen Thi Trinh blocked a sharp attack from Chatchu-On to bring the team to the set point at 24-19 before Vi Thi Nhu Quynh blocked another hit from Chatchu-On for Vietnam to take the set 25-19.
In the fourth set, Thailand started strongly to lead 6-0 before Nguyen Thi Trinh broke the deadlock for Vietnam with her effective fast spike to trail far behind 1-6. The host side mixed the aggressive combinations from Ajcharaporn’s exceptional attacks with Hattaya’s fast spikes and blocks to extend the lead to 13-9. Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen and Vi Thi Nhu Quynh had solid displays to help Vietnam narrow the gap at 15-23. However, to make short work of Vietnam, Ajcharaporn attacked devastatingly and Hattaya and Pornpun successfully blocked Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen to hand Thailand the last two points for the host side’s eventual 25-15 win in the set and match.
Outside hitter Ajcharaporn Kongyot spearheaded Thailand with 21points from 17 kills and 4 blocks, while middle blocker Hattaya Bamrungsuk and outside hitter Chatchu-On Moksri kept good company to contribute 17 points apiece. Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen led Vietnam with a match-high 25 points from 23 kills and 2 blocks.
Thailand were more effective than the Vietnamese in almost every scoring skill, beating their opponents in kills (58 to 51), while Hattaya displayed some top-calibre blocking during the match and it was one of the elements that tilted the balance Thai way with an impressive 16 stuffs against 7 for Vietnam. Both sides had no difference in aces (3 to 3), but Vietnam benefitted from more opponent errors (18 to 17).
Earlier, Philippines struggled to beat determined Indonesia in hard-fought five sets 20-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 15-10 in exhausting 127 minutes.
Following the Sunday’s win against Indonesia, Philippines finished the two-leg tournament with back-to-back podium outputs.
Holding a 1-2 disadvantage, Philippines tried hard to come back in the fourth set and Alyssa Jae Solomon, Jessica Margarette Galanza and Cherry Ann Ronding came up with their outstanding performance to help put the team back on track.
Galanza fired a powerful attack which brought the Philippines to the set point at 24-18, but Indonesia scored two straight points including one from Galanza’s service error. She then saved the day for Philippines after her first ball off an Indonesia service went right through the other side and scored the final point, forcing the tie-breaker to determine the winners.
Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi opened the decider with a hammer from the right side for Indonesia, but the Philippines regrouped and hit back with a pivotal 5-0 rampage capped by back-to-back Rondina attacks.
After that, the Indonesians relied on outside hitter Junaida Santi, who methodically tore the Philippine defence into shreds with her exceptional attacks to help the team cut their deficit to just two, 7-5. Philippines managed to widen it to a 13-10 lead.
An attack error from Indonesia awarded the Philippines the match point before Solomon produced the match winner with a beautiful swing to end the Indonesian challenge. Philippines clinched the deciding set 15-10.
Alyssa Jae Solomon chipped in 25 points from 21 kills and 4 blocks for Philippines, while Cherry Ann Rondina and Jessica Margarette Galanza added 18 and 13 points respectively. Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi scored a match-high 36 points from 31 kills, 3 blocks and 2 aces on the Indonesians’s loss.
In the awards presentation, Thailand received the Champions’ Trophy and US$16,000 prize money, while second place Vietnam and third place Philippines also got the trophies plus US$13,000 and US$11,000 respectively. Fourth place Indonesia pocketed US$10,000.
Meanwhile, in the Pre-SEA V. League, contested among three participating teams featuring Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC, Singapore and Malaysia, the host side earlier captured the crown on Saturday following their two consecutive wins in the single round-robin competition.
Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC, defending and consecutive two-time Thailand League champions, topped the three-team standing with 6 points from two straight-set wins, while Malaysia finished second with 3 points from one win achieved on Sunday following their comeback 3-1 (22-25, 25-6, 25-18, 25-20) victory against Singapore. Winless Singapore had to be content with the third place with no point given.
POOL RANKING
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
BEST OUTSIDE HITTERS
No. 16 Vi Thi Nhu Quynh (Vietnam)
No. 19 Chatchu-On Moksri (Thailand)
BEST OPPOSITE HITTER
No. 14 Solomon Alyssa Jae (Philippines)
BEST MIDDLE BLOCKERS
No. 5 Thatdao Nuekjang (Thailand)
No. 17 Sugandi Wilda Siti Nurfadhilah (Indonesia)
BEST SETTER
No. 3 Pornpun Guedpard (Thailand)
BEST LIBERO
No.12 Nguyen Khanh Dang (Vietnam)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
No.19 Chatchu-On Moksri (Thailand)
SEA V. LEAGUE SECOND WEEK FINAL RANKINGS
1 Thailand
2 Vietnam
3 Philippines
4 Indonesia
PRE-SEA V. LEAGUE FINAL RANKINGS
1 Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC
2 Malaysia
3 Singapore
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