ZHETYSU VC hardly showed signs of fatigue from its straight-sets win over Creamline late Monday, dismantling Al Naser yesterday 25-10, 25-15, 25-11 to complete a Pool A sweep in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The Kazakhstan champions were in control from start to finish, overwhelming the Jordanians and leaving no window for resistance as they capped pool play with an unblemished record, fueling their momentum going into the high-stakes quarterfinals.
The commanding win also paved the way for the Cool Smashers to clinch the second quarterfinal berth in Pool A with a 1-1 slate, having earlier swept Al Naser in last Sunday’s opener of the tournament backed by Mikasa, Mizuno, and Grand Sport as official federation partners.
Earlier, Vietnam’s VTV Binh Dien Long An, still reeling from a blown opportunity against Beijing Baic Motor, recovered from a first-set stumble to defeat Saipa Tehran, 22-25, 25-15, 25-20, 25-15 and clinch a spot in the quarterfinals.
The Vietnamese club, which squandered a 2-0 set lead in a tough loss to Baic Motor on Monday, secured the second seed in Pool C behind the Chinese squad. They now set up a quarterfinal clash with Pool B leader Kaohsiung Taipower in the tournament supported by Mikasa, Mizuno, and Grand Sport as federation partners.
Zhetysu coach Marko Gršić acknowledged the confidence his team carried into the match following their dominant win over Creamline, crediting their preparation and belief in their system.
“I’m very glad because we won today and finished first in the group. I expected the result because when I saw the Jordanian team, I knew we were better,” said Gršić. “I’m satisfied with how my team approached the game, and I’m confident we’ll be ready for the quarterfinals.”
Zhetysu is set to face the loser of the final Pool D match between Nakhon Ratchasima and PLDT, being played at presstime, in the knockout quarterfinals on Thursday.
Karyna Denysova once again led the charge for Zhetysu with 11 points and seven excellent digs, while Yuliia Dymar added nine markers in the 64-minute demolition.
Denysova and Kristina Anikonova fueled a blistering 9-0 closing run in the opening set, transforming a 16-10 lead into a 25-10 rout – setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Tatyana Nikitina chipped in six points and six digs, while Anikonova added six markers, as Zhetysu flexed its depth and dominance in the tournament organized by Sports Vision and supported by local partners PLDT, MWell, Eagle Cement, Rebisco, Akari, Gameville, PNVF, PSC, Cignal, and The Look Group.
On the other side, Isabela Paquiardi led Al Naser with 11 points and five excellent digs, while Ilisandra Klein contributed nine points.
Al Naser ended its campaign with a 0-2 record, becoming the third team eliminated from the 10-nation, 12-team tournament following the exits of Queensland of Australia and Saipa Tehran of Iran.
