Choco Mucho faced a narrow defeat against Vietnam 2, losing in a gripping five-set match with scores of 25-22, 28-26, 21-25, 20-25, 9-15, resulting in an even 2-2 record in the 2023 VTV Cup held at Lao Cai Gymnasium on Tuesday evening.
With the Flying Titans now at a 2-2 standing, they maintain their position in third place, underscoring the significance of their upcoming assignment in the elimination round.
To secure a smoother path to the knockout semifinals, Choco Mucho's mission to triumph over South Korea's Suwon City at 4 p.m. tomorrow becomes all the more crucial.
Despite the Flying Titans being within a close reach at 7-9, Vietnam executed a decisive 6-2 surge, led by Hoang Thi Thao, that sealed the reverse sweep.
During the initial set, with the Flying Titans holding a slim one-point lead late at 21-20, the Vietnamese team faltered and committed four consecutive errors of varying kinds.
The second set was a back-and-forth battle, ultimately culminating in Choco Mucho's favor due to the clutch performances of Maddie Madayag and Des Cheng, securing a commanding 2-0 set advantage with a score of 28-26.
In the third set, the Flying Titans appeared to be on the brink of a sweep as they established a 19-13 lead, needing just six points to claim victory. However, Vietnam mounted a comeback, finishing with an impressive 12-2 rally that extended the match.
In the fourth set, Vietnam managed to stifle Choco Mucho's offense in the latter stages, prompting a deciding fifth set with a score of 25-20.
