Taiwan on Saturday won the silver medal at the Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship in Jordan, following a narrow 3-2 loss to South Korea.
Taiwan recorded their best performance since the championships started in 2023, when they finished third in Hangzhou, China, advancing to the final this year with a 3-1 victory over China.
In the semi-final, Taiwan bested China 25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, while South Korea edged Japan 20-25, 25-19, 15-25, 25-22, 15-8.
Photo courtesy of the Asian Volleyball Confederation
After a neck-and-neck first set against South Korea, ending in a 28-26 win, Taiwan fell 25-21 and 25-11 in the next two sets.
In the fourth set, Taiwan leveled the match with a 25-19 win, but ultimately lost in the deciding set 15-13.
Taiwan coach Hou Ya-hui said she was proud of her team for putting up a strong fight, despite being shorter than the Chinese and South Korean players.
After losing, she consoled the team, some of whom burst into tears, telling them they played great.
“I [told them] there is nothing to cry about,” Hou said. “Even if we fell short by a little, everyone gave their best performance. I also encouraged them to get even in the U17 games next year.”
Chen Ting-yi, the team’s key player at just age 15, contributed to multiple victories, Hou said, adding that with some guidance, Chen would gain stability and confidence.
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