The Pool stage of the 22nd Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship has concluded with the final six matches held at Chartchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Thailand, the two-time consecutive Asian silver medallists, effortlessly defeated Mongolia in their final preliminary Pool A encounter. The dominant 25-12, 25-7, 25-11 victory placed Thailand at the top of Pool A with six points from two consecutive wins, securing their place in the Top 8 along with Australia, the second-place team in Pool A. Unfortunately, the loss for Mongolia, who remain winless, means they are relegated to the Classification Round for 9th-14th places.
In Pool B, reigning champions Japan showcased their strength by defeating India in a one-sided match with a scoreline of 25-10, 25-16, 25-6. Japan’s outside hitter, Yuki Nishikawa, contributed 19 points from 17 attacks and 2 aces. India’s top scorer was Anagha Radhakrishnan with 8 points. Despite the loss, both Japan and India secured their places in the Top 8 as they had previously won against Iran.
In the Pool C encounter, Korea cruised past Uzbekistan with a 25-12, 25-15, 25-12 victory, accumulating a total of 6 points and securing the 2nd place in Pool C.
Other notable matches include China’s 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan in Pool D, Vietnam’s 3-1 win against Chinese Taipei in Pool C, and Hong Kong’s 3-0 triumph over the Philippines in the final match of Pool D.
The completion of the Pool stage sets the stage for an exciting Top 8 round, where the best teams in Asia will compete for the championship title.