Choco Mucho gave its all on the court, but its energy dwindled towards the end, leading to a defeat against Vietnam 2 in a five-set match, 18-25, 25-18, 12-25, 25-22, 15-5.
As a result, they dropped to a spot in the Battle for Bronze of the 2023 VTV Cup, held at Lao Cai Gymnasium on Friday.
Despite a slow start, the Flying Titans managed to level the game at one set each by dominating the second set. However, their performance took a downturn as the Vietnamese team dominated the third set, moving closer to the gold medal match with a score of 25-12.
A turning point came when Des Cheng showcased her exceptional skills and ability to shine in critical moments. With Choco Mucho holding a fragile one-point lead of 23-22, Cheng delivered consecutive precise serves that Vietnam struggled to handle, resulting in aces that pushed the match to a deciding set.
In the final set, Vietnam 2 demonstrated their skill and composure, maintaining their cool under pressure and securing a convincing victory with a score of 15-5.
Interestingly, the same Vietnamese team narrowly escaped a defeat against the Flying Titans just three nights earlier, with scores of 20-25, 26-28, 25-21, 25-20, 15-9.
Vietnam 2 is set to face off against Vietnam 1, led by Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, in the championship match scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m. (Manila time).
Meanwhile, Choco Mucho will strive for a podium finish in the bronze medal game against Japan's Kansai University at 6 p.m. The team, guided by coach Dante Alinsunurin, had previously triumphed over the Japanese squad during the round-robin eliminations, achieving scores of 25-17, 25-23, 19-25, 25-22.
