The biggest surprise Vietnam created against such superior opponents came in the opening set. Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet’s players matched Poland point for point, never allowing their rivals to lead by more than three points.

Without Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen in the lineup, Vi Thi Nhu Quynh stepped up as the team’s main scorer. The outside hitter wearing jersey No. 16 tallied 20 points, including 18 attacks and 1 service ace.

At the end of the first set, with Poland leading 23-21, Nhu Quynh and her teammates scored four straight points to complete a stunning comeback. This marked the first-ever set win for Vietnam at the highest-level world competition.

However, from the second set onwards, the element of surprise faded. Poland adjusted to Vietnam’s style of play and began to show their class, cruising through the next two sets (25-10, 25-12).

Magdalena Stysiak (29 points) and Agnieszka Korneluk (16 points) proved unstoppable. Meanwhile, aside from Nhu Quynh, no Vietnamese player could maintain high scoring efficiency. Team captain Tran Thi Thanh Thuy was completely neutralized by Poland’s tall and solid blocking.

Despite this, Vietnam kept their fighting spirit high and gave fans another thrilling moment in the fourth set, leading 6-1 before eventually losing 22-25.

The Vietnamese team ultimately fell 1-3 to Poland. Nevertheless, this loss does not significantly affect the team in the world rankings.

Women volleyball team leave for World Championship in Thailand

VOV.VN - The Vietnamese women’s volleyball team left Hanoi for Phuket, Thailand, on August 20, to compete in the FIVB Women’s World Championship 2025 without star player Bich Tuyen, following her withdrawal from the squad due to concerns over the strict requirements set by the International Volleyball Federation.