Women face tough regional test

Team spirit: The women's national volleyball team left yesterday for the Asian Volleyball Championships. — VNA/VNS Photo Quoc Khanh

HA NOI — The Viet Nam women's national volleyball team left yesterday for Chinese Taipei to take part in the Asian Senior Women's Volleyball Championships which runs on September 15-23.

Viet Nam is seeded number eight of the 14 teams competing, which are divided into four groups for the event, and will meet Australia and defending champions Thailand in group B.

Viet Nam will first meet number one seeds Thailand who recently came from behind to win against Cuba in the preliminary round of the Grand Prix last month.

The Thai team also thrashed Argentina in the same tournament 25-23, 25-15, 25-14 to be the first Southeast Asian team to qualify for the Grand Prix final.

Viet Nam's second match will be against Australia, who they beat in July 20-25, 18-25, 22-25 during the VTV Sun Group Cup. Australia competed in the VTV Binh Dien Long An Cup held in Viet Nam in January playing seven matches of which they won two, drew one and lost four.

The Vietnamese team will be missing several key players including injured main attacker Bui Thi Hue and striker Tran Thi Cam Tu who is fulfilling academic commitments.

Chinese coach Qiao Yu Chuan will rely on duo Do Thi Minh and Pham Thi Yen who he hopes will find form during the tournament, as there are no substitutes for their positions.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the second round, which means Viet Nam must at least beat Australia to progress. — VNS