Thailand bravely plays against China, earns first point at VNL 2026

(Volleyball result) - The Thai women's volleyball team displayed remarkable composure against China in this year's VNL and ultimately fell short after a hard-fought five-set battle.

Set 1: Thailand 14-25 China

Thailand started off somewhat overwhelmed against a China team determined to secure their first home win at this year's VNL. China quickly built a lead from the early stages, and the gap between the two sides increasingly widened as the Southeast Asian representatives struggled to respond.

The efforts of Pimpichaya and Ajcharaporn were not enough to save Thailand from a heavy set loss, as across the net, Zhuang Yushan played exceptionally well with 8 points, while Tang Xin—China's standout player in their opening match against the Czech Republic—also made her mark with 5 points.

Set 2: Thailand 26-24 China

Thailand delivered an outstanding performance in the second set. Points from Thatdao and Sasipapron helped Thailand surprisingly take the lead, maintaining a favorable position for more than half of the set.

There were moments when fans of the "Land of Smiles" could not help but worry, as Zhuang Yushan played brilliantly with a series of sharp attacks, allowing the hosts to equalize and even take the lead at a critical juncture. However, the excellence of Kamulthala and Sasipapron enabled Thailand to bounce back strongly, saving set points and then scoring two consecutive points to clinch a narrow victory, leveling the match at 1-1.

Set 3: Thailand 19-25 China

Thailand started the third set reasonably well, but from the middle of the set onward, China took control of the game, playing proactively and gradually establishing a safe lead over their opponents. Apart from Thatdao's effective performance, Thailand's other positions failed to maintain the form they showed in set 2, as China played more focused and defended more tightly. The return of Wang Yuanyuan in this set was also crucial in helping the home team move ahead 2-1.

Set 4: Thailand 25-23 China

The Thai girls showed incredible resilience. Despite trailing China from the start of set 4, they remained unfazed, fought back to level the score, and even took the lead during the crucial phase. The presence of veteran middle blocker Kamulthala truly surprised China—a direct ace serve and a set-point conversion by the former Hanoi Tasco Auto player helped Thailand secure a narrow victory, pushing the match to a decisive fifth set and guaranteeing their first point of this year's VNL.

Set 5: Thailand 7-15 China

In the decisive set, the gap between the two sides became clear as China dominated. Tang Xin and Wang Aoqian played exceptionally well, helping the hosts pull away early and end the match after five sets, securing their first win of this year's VNL. Although Thailand suffered back-to-back losses, they still earned their first point thanks to this close defeat.

Final result: China defeated Thailand 3-2 (25-14; 24-26; 25-19; 23-25; 15-7). Zhuang Yushan was the match's top scorer (21 points), while Thatdao led Thailand's scoring chart (16 points).

When is the Thailand vs China women's volleyball match?

• Time: 6:30 PM, today June 4
• Tournament: Week 1, Pool 3 VNL 2026
• Location: Nanjing, China

Thai players roster for Week 1 VNL 2026

Extended Chinese players roster for VNL 2026