*This content was translated by AI.
The South Korean women's national volleyball team, led by head coach Cha Sang-hyun (52), decisively overcame Vietnam, which had sent shockwaves through Korean volleyball three years ago.
On the 18th, Korea defeated Vietnam 3-1 (25-21, 25-21, 26-28, 25-18) in the third Group D match of the women's volleyball preliminary round at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at Park Arena Komaki in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
Having previously defeated Hong Kong and Qatar with 3-0 victories, Korea secured three straight wins and nine points to confirm first place in Group D. Their quarterfinal opponent will be Kazakhstan, the second-place team from Group B. Had they lost to Vietnam and finished second in their group, they would have faced China, the top-ranked team in Group B and a strong championship contender; instead, they avoided the most difficult matchup.
They also achieved revenge. In the first match of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games held in 2023, Korea took two sets against Vietnam but ultimately lost 2-3 after being come from behind. As a result, finishing second in their group, Korea was blocked by China and failed to win an Asian Games medal for the first time since the 2006 Doha tournament, ending with no medal after 17 years.
This time, meeting Vietnam again after three years, they did not allow the same outcome. Captain Kang So-hwi led all players on both teams with a total of 27 points. Setter Kim Da-in triggered momentum shifts at crucial moments by hitting six service aces alone, Lee Da-hyun contributed 16 points including two blocks, and Na Hyun-so added 14 points.
The first set was not easy. Korea fell behind after consecutive errors from 18-17, trailing as far as 19-21. The savior was Kim Da-in. With a series of short serves that disrupted Vietnam's reception, she immediately turned the tide with two consecutive service aces. Following this, she forced attack errors from Vietnam, and Korea took the first set thanks to a blocking point by Park Eun-jin.
In the second set, Korea built an early 6-1 lead but was held to a 20-20 tie by Vietnam's persistent defense. At the decisive moments, Lee Da-hyun's height proved decisive. After scoring with a block followed by an attack, and with Kim Da-in hitting another service ace, Korea secured two consecutive sets with a 25-21 scoreline.
In the third set, where a shutout victory seemed within reach, Korea struggled. At 18-20, they tied the game with a powerful serve from Kim Da-in, and at 22-24, Lee Da-hyun's quick attack and Park Eun-jin's block forced a deuce. However, they failed to clear the final hurdle, losing their first set of the tournament 26-28.
Korea did not waver again. In the fourth set, at 18-15, Lee Da-hyun's quick attack and Kang So-hwi's powerful push extended the lead. Once entering the 20th-point range, Korea maintained their advantage and closed out the match 25-18.
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*This content was translated by AI.
