VietNamNet Bridge – Chinese Taipei trounced China’s Nanjing University team 3-0 to set up a much anticipated semi-final against VTV-Binh Dien Long An today, January 22. The match is part of the ongoing fourth international women’s volleyball tournament at the Pleiku City Gymnasium, in the Central Highlands Province of Gia Lai.

Because their direct opponent for a berth in semi-finals, Vietsovpetro, suffered a 3-0 defeat by Signal Corps-Lien Viet Bank in the previous match, Chinese Taipei entered their last pool match in comfort.

Chinese Taipei fell victim to complacency, allowing Nanjing University to take an impressive 10-5 lead. Angry Japanese head coach Norimasa Sakakuchi called for a technical time-out that helped Taipei bring the set to a tie at 12-12 before going on to eventually win the set 25-18.

Following their first set blip, Taipei, urged on by coach Sakakuchi, quickly recovered their form and dominated the remaining sets, winning them 25-16 and 25-11 to become the only foreign representative in the semi-finals.

Taipei came second in Pool B after two victories and will have to face the top favourites VTV-Binh Dien Long An, who beat PV Oil Thai Binh to remain undefeated in all three pool A matches.

"Chinese Taipei are a strong team with good players like Chen Wan Ting and Tsai Yin Feng. They’ve also improved as the tournament has progressed, so the match today will be very competitive and it will be difficult to predict the result," VTV-Binh Dien’s head coach Luong Khuong Thuong said.

"It is difficult to say who will win the semi-final because every game is different. Our players will try their best," Chinese Taipei’s Japanese head coach Norimasa Sakakuchi said.

The other semi-final encounter is between the Military Signal Corps Command Lien Viet Bank (Signal Corps-Lien Viet Bank) and PV Oil Thai Binh, who finished second in Pool A after being defeated by VTV-Binh Dien in the match to decide the pool leader.

Viet Nam’s Signal Corps-Lien Viet Bank yesterday crushed another Vietsovpetro 25-16, 25-12, 25-23 to finish undefeated in the pool to qualify for the semi-finals.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

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