Kien Giang, Vietnam, May 8, 2019 – Eight teams including four overseas sides will test their mettle in the 2019 VTV9 Binh Dien International Women’s Volleyball Cup in Kien Giang, which is located 250km from Ho Chi Minh City, between May 11 to 19, vying for the top honour and cash prizes on offer.
Established in 2006, the annual competition is an international women’s volleyball tournament organised by the Vietnam Volleyball Federation and sponsored by VTV9 and Binh Dien Fertilizer Company.
During the past 12 editions, club teams from hosts Vietnam took the lion’s share of 8 gold. China’s Jiangsu Zenith Steel claimed the title twice in 2012 and 2018, while DPR Korea’s 4.25 Sport Club and Thailand’s Bangkok Glass captured the crowns in 2015 and 2017 respectively.
Last year, China’s Jiangsu Zenith Steel reigned supreme following a terrific comeback 3-2 win against the USA’s Bring It Promotions (BIP) in the final showdown, while VTV Binh Dien Long An claimed bronze and China’s Fujian finished fourth. Thailand’s Est Cola, Vietnam’s VietinBank, Thong tin LVPB and Kazakhstan’s Almaty VC finished 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th places respectively.
This year, Jiangsu Zenith Steel did not return to defend their title, allowing the other teams an equal chance of chasing for glory. In this 13th edition, a total of eight teams will be pitted against one another in the nine-day event. Hosts VTV Binh Dien Long An, VietinBank, China’s Nanjing and Thailand U23 are in Pool A, with Thong tin LienVietPostBank, Duc Giang Ha Noi, BIP from the United States and China’s Sichuan in Pool B.
The pool round-robin preliminaries will start on May 11, with VietinBank taking on Thailand U23 in the curtain-raisers. Following the conclusion of the pool play, only top two teams from each pool will compete in the cross semi-finals, with Pool A winners taking on the Pool B second place. Teams finishing third and fourth places in each pool will be relegated to 5th-8th classification round.
As BIP return in an effort of making another step better than last year when they almost claimed the title, only going down in thrilling tie-break to eventual champions Jiangsu Zenith Steel in the final clash, Thailand U23 will use this tournament as a tune-up match ahead of their participation in the Asian Women’s U23 Volleyball Championship, which is due to take place in Hanoi, Vietnam between July 13 and 21.
MATCH SCHEDULE (local time)
May 11
4.00pm: Thailand U23 v VietinBank
7.00pm: Opening Ceremony
7.30pm: VTV Binh Dien Long An v Nanjing
May 12
4.00pm: Sichuan v Thong tin LienVietPostBank
7.00pm: Bring It Promotions v Duc Giang Ha Noi
May 13
4.00pm: Nanjing v VietinBank
7.00pm: VTV Binh Dien Long An v Thailand U23
May 14
4.00pm: Thong tin LienVietPostBank v Duc Giang Ha Noi
7.00pm: Bring It Promotions v Sichuan
May 15
4.00pm: Nanjing v Thailand U23
7.00pm: VTV Binh Dien Long An v VietinBank
May 16
4.00pm: Sichuan v Duc Giang Ha Noi
7.00pm: Bring It Promotions v Thong tin LienVietPostBank
May 17
Rest Day
May 18
5th-8th Classification
Semi-Finals
May 19
Playoffs in 7th-8th, 5th-6th
Bronze medal match
Gold-medal match
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