On the evening of July 5, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team entered their first match at the 2024 FIVB Women's Volleyball Challenger Cup, facing the host team, the Philippines.
Historically, this is the second time the Vietnamese women's volleyball team has participated in the FIVB Challenge Cup. Therefore, before the match, head coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet emphasized that the team had prepared thoroughly and held great respect for their opponents, acknowledging that both sides had an equal chance of winning.
Fielding their best players at the moment, such as Hoang Thi Kieu Trinh, Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, Tran Tu Linh, Nguyen Thi Trinh, Le Thanh Thuy, Nguyen Khanh Dang, and setter Doan Thi Lam Oanh, coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet was confident that his team would achieve the best result from the start.
With this lineup, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team performed effectively, from first-step defense to blocking at the net. When the players executed well in first-step defense, setter Doan Thi Lam Oanh had ample opportunity to distribute balls to key positions, allowing Tu Linh, Kieu Trinh, and Bich Tuyen to spike and score points.
In this match, outside hitter Tran Thi Thanh Thuy did not play; however, the coaching staff placed Bich Tuyen in the main attacking position, and she scored effectively. Bich Tuyen scored 30 points, making her the best attacker of the game.
At the end of the match, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team won 3-0 (25/14, 25/22, 25/21), securing their spot in the semifinals of the tournament.
In the same bracket, the Czech Republic women's team defeated Argentina 3-0. As a result, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team will face the Czech Republic in the semifinals on July 6. In the other bracket, Belgium will play against Puerto Rico in the semifinals.
Last year, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team participated in the 2023 FIVB Women's Volleyball Challenger Cup but lost to France in the first match, leading to an early exit. This year, the results have improved for the Vietnamese women's volleyball team.
