Beijing Baic Motor delivered a championship-like performance, rallying from two sets down to stun VTV Binh Dien Long An in a thrilling five-set reversal, 22-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-13, 15-10, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Monday in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League.
Not only did the Chinese side spoil the highly anticipated debut of the Vietnamese powerhouse in the continental tournament, they also became the first team to clinch a quarterfinal spot after sweeping Pool C with back-to-back victories, including a straight-set win over Saipa Tehran (28-26, 25-22, 25-19) in Sunday’s opener.
Despite fielding a depleted lineup – playing with only 10 in rotation due to two key players on national team duty – Baic Motor showed remarkable grit and composure in the face of adversity. After dropping the first two sets in tightly contested battles, the Chinese squad dug deep and mounted a stunning turnaround, fueled by stellar net defense and the unstoppable scoring spree of Jin Ye.
Jin exploded for 30 points, unleashing a barrage of bombs that broke the Vietnamese defense. Her back-to-back cross-court kills in the deciding set sealed the incredible comeback victory and completed one of the tournament's most memorable reversals.
Jin finished with 24 attacks, four aces and two blocks, and spiked her solid performance with 10 excellent digs.
As Pool C’s first seed, Baic Motor will face the second seed in Pool B, made up of PVL All-Filipino champion Petro Gazz, Chinese Taipei’s Taipower, and Hong Kong squad Hip Hing.
“I am familiar with the local teams here. I have been here before. But we have a younger team this year and all we want to do is bring more experience back to China so that we don’t have any pressure on us,” said Baic Motor head coach Kuang Qi through an interpreter.
Overwhelmed by the offensive firepower of Vietnamese stars Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and Vi Thi Nhu Quynh, Baic Motor found itself on the brink. With their backs against the wall, the China-based spikers showed grit and composure, unleashing a barrage of precise attacks and locking down on floor defense to claw their way back and force a fifth set.
After struggling to find their rhythm early, Baic Motor turned the tide in Set 3, using its height and timing to clamp down on VTV Binh Dien Long An’s attacks. With renewed energy, the Chinese controlled the fourth set with dominance and entered the decider brimming with momentum.
The Chinese surged to a 13-7 lead in the fifth – fueled by two straight crosscourt hits from Lu Yufei and Shan Lanfeng and a block by Shen Hongyi. Though their opponents mustered a brief three-point run to threaten a comeback, Baic Motor’s star spiker quickly shut the door, hammering home the final blows and proving once again that heart and hustle can overcome even the steepest odds.
“Ye is playing well. I’m happy not just with her performance today but also with the leadership she brings to the team,” said Qi. “She’s one of our veterans, and she did exactly what we needed from her.”
Jin’s poise was matched by Lanfeng’s stellar all-around effort, powering the squad with 20 points built on 14 attacks, four blocks, and two aces. Yufei also came up big, contributing 14 points in the high-stakes match.
Shen Hongyi scored nine points on seven attacks and made three excellent digs, while Tian Yue added seven points off four attacks and three blocks.
The tournament is backed by federation partners Mikasa, Mizuno, and Grand Sport, with support from PLDT, MWell, Eagle Cement, Rebisco, Akari, Gameville, PNVF, PSC, Cignal, and The Look Group.
Despite the setback, Binh Dien Long An expects to advance although it must hurdle Saipa Tehran on Tuesday to clinch the other quarterfinal slot.
Quynh paced Binh Dien Long An with 22 points on 20 attacks, while Thuy scored 20 markers on 18 attacks, and Russian import Lijewska Natalia added 12 points and middle blocker Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa added seven points.
