Before this match, Jiangsu was rated much higher than Vietnamese clubs. However, coach Shi Hairong's team had a difficult match.
In set 1, Jiangsu started very strongly when they soon led LPB Ninh Binh 5-0 and 9-2. With superior physique and a balanced squad, it was thought that the Chinese team would have an overwhelming and quick victory.
However, LPB Ninh Binh persistently pursued, taking advantage of the opponent's mistakes to gradually narrow the gap and then equalize the score.
In the final stage of the set, the two teams closely followed each other point by point. After that, with the brilliance of main attacker Dinh Thi Thuy and a first-footer error at the decisive moment, the Vietnamese team unexpectedly won 25-23.
In set 2, Jiangsu continued to start impressively with consecutive successful blocking situations and impressive attacks. The Chinese team soon took the lead 11-3, but unlike set 1, they played very focused, cherishing each point to win with a score of 25-16, thereby equalizing the score 1-1.
Compared to the group stage, this match coach Thai Thanh Tung's team played much better. They were not overwhelmed by the opponent's overwhelmingly tall block. Besides, LPB Ninh Binh also performed powerful spikes, especially from Kuttika's position.
Thanks to those things, LPB Ninh Binh played very well in the first half of set 3, when continuously leading the opponent with a gap of 2-3 points. But then, Jiangsu promoted its strength from the block with superior height, continuously successfully blocking the opponent's attacking spikes. Thanks to that, they gradually equalized points and then took the lead to win back with a score of 25-21.
Stepping into set 4, Jiangsu took the lead at the beginning of the match when leading 10-5. However, LPB Ninh Binh did not give up, continuously having smooth and fast attacking combinations to equalize the score 11-11. The audience at Tay Ninh Provincial Gymnasium enthusiastically cheered for LPB Ninh Binh, adding strength to Dinh Thi Thuy and her teammates.
However, at the crucial moment, Jiangsu proved their bravery. They had difficult serves, very good net handling and tight defense. Thanks to that, Jiangsu succeeded in overcoming LPB Ninh Binh with a score of 25-21. The decisive point in this match was scored after a dangerous serve from the hitter on the Jiangsu side.
In the end, the Jiangsu team reversed the score to beat LPB Ninh Binh 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-21) to win a ticket to the final. They will compete for the championship with the winning team in the VTV Binh Dien Long An vs Hanoi Tasco Auto match, while LPB Ninh Binh will compete for third place.
