Korea capped a dominant campaign in the AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup by defeating Chinese Taipei, 25-19, 25-19, 25-22, in the gold medal match on Sunday, June 14, before a packed crowd at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.

Backed by a strong all-around performance, world No. 31 Korea completed an impressive tournament run and secured the championship in front of approximately 8,000 spectators. The victory provided a timely boost for the Korean squad following a difficult stretch in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

Korea controlled the match from the opening set and never allowed Chinese Taipei to establish momentum. The champions displayed the same consistency and discipline that carried them throughout the tournament presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and the City of Candon.

The triumph was especially significant considering Korea’s recent struggles on the international stage. After enduring a challenging VNL campaign, the team found renewed confidence through a string of victories in the AVC competition.

Korea Finishes Strong

Sohwi Kang led the champions with 14 points and once again proved why she was one of the tournament’s most reliable performers. Hyunsoo Na added 12 points, while Yunju Jeong contributed 11 markers to help power Korea to the title.

Unlike their grueling five-set encounter during pool play, the championship match was largely controlled by Korea from start to finish. The team executed efficiently on both offense and defense while feeding off the energy of the enthusiastic crowd.

Kang admitted that confidence had been difficult to maintain after Korea’s recent results in the Volleyball Nations League. She said the team’s success in Candon City helped restore belief within the squad.

“I’m really happy we were able to have this very meaningful and valuable result today,” Kang said.

“We were losing many games in the VNL. We felt the value of the victories in the AVC every time we won,” she added.

Kang’s consistent performances throughout the tournament earned her the Most Valuable Player award. She averaged 14 points per match and played a key role in Korea’s unbeaten championship run.

Vietnam Claims Bronze

Three-time champion Vietnam bounced back from disappointment in pool play by capturing the bronze medal with a commanding 25-17, 25-12, 25-19 victory over Kazakhstan.

Thi Thanh Thuy Tran spearheaded the attack with 16 points, while Thi Bich Thuy Tran chipped in 15 points. Thi Nuh Quynh Vi also made a major contribution with 13 points as Vietnam completed a convincing straight-set victory.

The win served as sweet revenge for Vietnam after Kazakhstan defeated them in a five-set thriller during the preliminary round. That earlier loss had snapped Vietnam’s impressive 23-match winning streak in the competition.

Kristina Belova led Kazakhstan with 10 points, while Zhanna Syroyeshkina and Tatyana Yatskiv added eight points apiece. Kazakhstan finished fourth for the second consecutive edition of the tournament.

Elsewhere, Indonesia secured fifth place after defeating Australia, 25-13, 25-19, 26-24. Iran also ended its campaign on a positive note by sweeping host Philippines, 25-21, 25-12, 25-21, in the battle for seventh place.

The tournament concluded with Korea standing atop the podium, completing a memorable week in Candon City and gaining valuable momentum ahead of future international competitions.