JAPAN’S PFU BLUECATS CAPTURE UNPRECEDENTED TITLE AT VTV9-BINH DIEN CUP IN VIETNAM

May 20, 2024

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Images courtesy of Vietcontent

PFU BlueCats made historical past on Sunday after sealing comeback win towards LPBank Ninh Binh within the highly-anticipated remaining showdown to grow to be the first-ever Japanese membership group to seize the VTV9-Binh Dien Cup Girls’s Volleyball Match at Buon Ma Thuot Metropolis Fitness center in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam.

The PFU’s 3-1 (18-25, 30-28, 25-18, 25-22) upset win over the native group earlier than an estimated 2,000 Vietnamese followers not solely delighted the Japanese group for the resounding victory, but in addition silenced the noisy drum-beating, cheering followers contained in the packed venue and after the match, lots of them left with their heads low in disappointment.

It has been eight years already that no Vietnamese membership group win this event since Vietin Financial institution reigned supreme in 2016. After that, international groups have taken heart stage to emerge triumphant on this annual invitational event, with Thailand’s Bangkok Glass successful it in 2017, Jiangsu from China in 2018, Sichuan from China in 2019 and PFU from Japan within the present season.

In opposition to the formidable Ninh Binh, steered by scoring machine Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen and two Vietnam nationwide group gamers, center blockers Le Thanh Thuy and Nguyen Thi Trinh, PFU, winners on the Kurowashi Match in Japan in 2022/23 season, fielded a powerful lineup led by the 185cm-tall Cuban-born Melissa Valdes , Kisa Okuma and Aya Hosonuma.

Backed by cheering dwelling followers, Ninh Binh made a powerful begin to take the comfy first set 25-18. Valdes was the PFU’s comeback within the second set as she tore the Vietnamese intensified defence aside along with her distinctive assaults for the Japanese facet’s hard-fought 30-28 win.

Ninh Binh clawed their method again within the third set, with Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen on hearth. Nonetheless, their efforts didn’t repay handsomely. PFU nonetheless lived as much as all expectations to guide commandingly 24-18 earlier than outdoors hitter Anna Uemura carried out a robust leap serve which went unanswered. The Japanese facet claimed the set 25-18 to guide 2-1 units.

The fourth set was extra thrilling when either side gave all of it out to win the set. The robust guests proved a lot steadier to guide with a four-point clear at 24-20. Ninh Binh put up a courageous struggle to win two factors in a row when a robust spike from Valdes went off the sideline and one other assault from Okuma went vast.

Nonetheless, the Vietnamese delight didn’t final lengthy when Valdes ended the Ninh Binh’s problem along with her aggressive assault. PFU captured the thrilling set 25-22, match and gold medal.

Melissa Valdes scored a tournament-high 37 factors from 34 kills, one block and a pair of aces for PFU BlueCats, whereas Aya Hosonuma and skipper Kiiro Omura contributed 13 and 12 factors respectively. Onerous-hitting Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen was the lone participant who reached double digits for LPBank Ninh Binh to tally 31 factors together with 29 kills on the group’s loss. Le Thanh Thuy and Dinh Thi Thuy added 9 factors every.

Within the Classification Spherical for the Fifth-Sixth locations earlier, HCDG Lao Cai, robust defensively with three hard-hitting gamers Tran Thi Bich Thuy, Doan Thi Xuan and Thai import outdoors hitter Kuttika Kaewpin because the mainstays, bounced again from the first-set loss to stun defending champions Sichuan from China in hard-fought four-setter 17-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-19. HCDG Lao Cai took the fifth place on this event, with Sichuan in disappointing sixth place.

Kuttika Kaewpin chipped in with 21 factors from 19 kills, one block and one ace for HCDG Lao Cai, whereas teammates Doan Thi Xuan and Tran Thai Bich Thuy contributed 17 and 16 factors respectively. Skipper Miao Yiwen led Sichuan with 17 factors together with 15 kills and one ace.

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