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The Vietnamese men's volleyball team clinches second place in the second round of the Men's SEA V.League 2023. (Photo: AVC) |
The Men's SEA V.League 2023 entered its second round, with the final matches held on July 30 in Santa Rosa, Philippines. The match between the host team, the Philippines, and the Vietnamese men's volleyball team was the decisive game to determine the overall second-place winner.
For this reason, both Coach Tran Dinh Tien and Coach Sergio Veloso fielded their strongest lineup, determined to secure an overall victory.
During the first set, the home team's hitters had a strong start. Setter Mangulabnan's precise sets enabled Rotter, Bagunas, and Espejo to unleash powerful attacks, putting pressure on the blocking line of the Vietnamese men's volleyball team. The set was marked by a competitive back-and-forth battle between both teams. However, in the crucial moments, the Philippines managed to take the lead and get a hard-fought 25/22 victory.
Following the loss in the first set, the coaching staff of the Vietnamese men's volleyball team quickly made adjustments and emphasized the need for better support from the backline for the front-line players. These adjustments proved beneficial as Ngoc Thuan, Tu Thanh Thuan, and Duong Van Tien played effectively, scoring accurately in succession, leading the team to attain victories in the second and third sets with scores of 25/18 and 25/20, respectively. However, in the fourth set, the home players once again had some luck and succeeded in obtaining a narrow 26/24 victory, extending the match to the fifth set to determine the ultimate winner.
In the fifth set, the Vietnamese players displayed remarkable composure, efficiently blocking the ball at the net and executing precise attacks from both sides. This effective performance led us to a 15/8 victory. After an intense competition lasting nearly 3 hours, the Vietnamese men's volleyball team emerged triumphant with a 3-2 score, clinching second place in the tournament. Prior to that, the Indonesian men's team defeated Thailand 3-2 and claimed the top position overall.
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The young players of the Vietnamese men's volleyball team have grown significantly from this tournament. (Photo: AVC) |
Thus, the Men’s SEA V.League 2023 concluded with the participation of four men's volleyball teams from Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, competing in two rounds (the first round in Indonesia and the second round in the Philippines). The Indonesian men's volleyball team dominated the tournament and achieved an absolute championship. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese men's volleyball team attained a third-place finish in the first round and clinched second place in the second round.
Completing this tournament, the Vietnamese men's volleyball team has fulfilled their international missions for the year, and now the players will be returning to their respective hometowns. On July 31, the entire team will travel back to Vietnam from the Philippines.
