China stun top seeded US in Women’s Volleyball Nations League, win 5-set thriller
Thousands roar on home team to victory at Macau East Asian Games Dome. Turkey beat Canada in other quarter-final on Thursday.
China produced a stunning upset in the last eight of the Women’s Volleyball Nations League Finals in Macau on Thursday, beating the top-seeded USA in a five-set thriller.
More than 4,000 fans roared the home team through a roller-coaster victory, with China taking a 2-1 lead, only for the Americans to drag themselves level, before a deciding set that had everyone in the Macau East Asian Games Dome on the edge of their seats.
The 15-25, 25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 15-13 victory took China to the last four for the first time since 2023, and maintained their dominance over a side that sits four places higher in the world rankings.
In a one-sided first set, Dana Rettke and Jordan Thompson guided the US to a comfortable lead that they never lost. In a far more even second, the two sides were tied at 18-18 until China pulled away for a 23-20 advantage, with outside hitter Zhuang Yushan helping to close it out.
The third set was close until 13-13, when China piled on the points and took themselves to the verge of a famous win. But the US fought back, and took the fourth after opening up a four-point lead at 13-9.
Twice in the fifth set, China had to come back from a three-point deficit. After 11-11, they took control of the scoreboard and finished the match off with a kill through the middle by 18-year-old Wang Aoqian for 15-13.