Shan Lanfeng of Chinese club Baic Motor during a game against Iran’s Saipa Tehran in the AVC Women’s Champions League.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Kaohsiung Taipower dominated Hong Kong’s Hip Hing, 25-10, 25-16, 25-14, in the Asian Volleybal Confederation (AVC) Champions League opener on Sunday at Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The nine-time Taiwan’s Top Volleyball League champion took an early 1-0 lead in Pool B before facing PVL All-Filipino champion Petro Gazz on Monday at 4 p.m.
The Angels, fresh from their Holy Week break, scouted the Taipower-Hip Hing match with their American import Gia Day.
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Peng Yu-Rou led the Taiwanese with 16 points. Tsai Yu-Chun had 11 points, while Hsu Wan-Yun added seven points.
“It’s important for me as a volleyball player to gain this kind of experience. It also [matters] that our team gets to experience participating in a tournament like this,” said starting setter Hung Chia-Yao, who anchored Taipower’s offense.
“It is a new experience in our life and we can [have] many learnings in other countries, like how they play volleyball and for our communication also.”
No player from the Hong Kong-based team scored in double figures with hitter Pang Wing Lam scoring seven points. Setter Fung Tsz Yan was the next top scorer with four points.
Hip Hing ends its Pool B campaign against Petro Gazz on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, Baic Motor of China swept Iran’s Saipa Tehran, 28-26, 25-22, 25-19.
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Jin Ye powered the Chinese’s balanced attack with 16 points, while Shan Lanfeng and Lu Yufei had 15 points each for their first win in Pool C.
“We’re missing a couple of players [because] of the national team, so we’re trying our best and we’re working really hard to win. It’s the first match so they’re a little bit nervous, but we’re trying our best. I’m happy about it,” said coach Kuang Qi.
“We’ll try to play our [game] because we don’t really know any [of] the teams yet. So for us, we’re just gonna do our best to play this match,” he added.
Baic Motor eyes to clinch a quarterfinal berth against the debuting team from Vietnam, VTV Binh Dien Long An, on Monday at 10 a.m.
Saipa Tehran put up a gallant stand in the first set but lost steam in the last two, losing its first match in Pasig.
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Neda Chamlanian and Mahsa Saberi led the Iranians with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
