Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu VC continues its dominance in the 2025 AVC Women's Champions League after rolling past Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima Qmin C VC in the semifinals.
Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu VC will make their way to the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League Final after sweeping Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima Qmin C VC, 25-20, 25-21, 25-21, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig this Saturday, April 26.
The tall Kazakhs proved to be too much for the gritty Thai squad to remain undefeated in the tournament, having yet to drop a set.
Blocking also proved to be another difference-maker for Zhetysu as they finished with 11 as compared to Nakhon Ratchasima’s three.
In the third set, Zhetysu blasted for a 7-3 start behind spikers Yuliia Dymar and Valeriya Yakutina.
The nine-time Kazakh champions would go on to extend their lead further at 17-10. But Nakhon Ratchasima would give one last fight in them, going on a 10-3 run to tie the game at 20-all.
Despite this, Zhetysu VC snatched the momentum once more as they sealed the match with a 5-1 run capped off by Karyna Denysova’s off-the-block hit.
Denysova led the way for the Kazakhs with 13 points, while Dymar and Yakutina added 12 each.
“We already knew that it [Nakhon Ratchasima] is a very strong team with a lot of experienced players. But today, I want to say bravo to my team because they’re very, very brave. [They] concentrated on the task, I’m very happy because we’re going to play the first finals of the Asian Champions League,” coach Marko Gršic said during the post-game press conference.
Zhetysu will now await the winner of the semifinal match between Beijing BAIC Motor and VTV Binh Dien Long An later at 7:00 p.m.
The championship match will be tomorrow, April 27, still at the PhilSports Arena.