SEMI-FINAL MATCHUPS CONFIRMED FOR ASEAN UNIVERSITY GAMES VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, December 12, 2018 – Two unbeaten teams, the Philippines and hosts Myanmar, topped their pools at the 19th Asean University Games Volleyball Tournament at the Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium Hall B to set up semi-final encounters with Indonesia and Thailand respectively on Thursday.
Thailand and Myanmar completed their campaigns in the pool round-robin preliminaries on Tuesday, with the former temporarily leading Pool A with 3 points from one win against one loss and the latter capturing the top spot in Pool B with 6 points from two wins in a row.
On Wednesday, the Philippines, which amazingly stunned defending champions Thailand in straight sets in their opener on Sunday, were due to take on Malaysia in a must-win match against the rivals to overtake Thailand to top Pool A.
As expected, the Philippines made their mark in the crucial match to pull off a dramatic 3-1 (25-14 23-25 25-23 25-20) win over Malaysia and surged ahead the Thais to stay atop Pool A with 6 points from two consecutive wins. Thailand were relegated to the second place in the pool with three points.
With the host side dominating Pool B with 6 points from two successive victories, the Wednesday’s clash between Indonesia and Singapore, both of them have already succumbed to straight-set loss to Myanmar, were to decide the second team from Pool B to advance to the semi-finals.
Indonesia, silver medallists at the previous Games in Singapore two years ago, survived a scare from the Singaporeans to beat the tough opponents in hard-fought five-set thriller 25-22 27-25 19-25 23-25 15-10 to join the hosts in the semi-finals.
On Thursday, the Philippines are due to take on Indonesia in the first semi-final clash at 12.00pm local time, followed by the other semi-final match between hosts Myanmar and Thailand. Malaysia and Singapore will fight it out in the 5th-6th playoff in the last match of the day.
However, earlier in the day, reigning champions Thailand, which have already beaten Singapore in a one-sided battle of the women’s competition on Tuesday, will play their second match against Myanmar. A possible win in the match will put Thailand to the top of the women’s standing following the single round-robin preliminaries and earn them a place in the Fridays’ final showdown, where they are set to play a rematch against the second place.
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
Men’s Preliminary
Pool A: Philippines b Malaysia 3-1 (25-14 23-25 25-23 25-20)
Pool B: Indonesia b Singapore 3-2 (25-22 27-25 19-25 23-25 15-10)
MATCH SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018
10.00am: Women’s Preliminary: Thailand v Myanmar
12.00pm: Men’s Semi-finals: the Philippines v Indonesia
14.00pm: Men’s Semi-finals: Myanmar v Thailand
16.00pm: Men’s 5th-6th playoff: Singapore v Malaysia
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