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Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu VC showcased the full breadth of its talent and resilience, roaring back from third-set deficits and overpowering Vietnam’s VTV Bình ?i?n Long An in the fourth to carve out a 25-14, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20 victory and capture the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Champions League crown at the Philsports Arena late Sunday.
The towering Kazakhs, whose imposing frontline had been a defining force throughout the tournament, once again leaned on their height and impeccable timing to break down the Vietnamese challenge. Their chemistry and cohesion, honed through a grueling unbeaten run in the eight-day championship, came to the fore when it mattered most.
The rebranded continental tournament featured 12 of the region’s leading clubs from 10 countries, but it was Zhetysu VC which stood tallest, literally and figuratively. The Kazakhs topped pool play without incident, trounced the PLDT High Speed Hitters in the quarterfinals, then blasted Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima in the semifinals without conceding a set to storm into the final.
"Of course, I want to congratulate the Vietnam team – they played very, very well," said Zhetysu head coach Marko Grši?. "But I also want to give a big, big bravo to my team. We won all our matches, and in the final, we showed how brave we are. I think we truly deserved this title. I'm very proud of my team."
"We didn’t expect to lose a set, but Vietnam is really very good," added Grsic. "I always believed we were better, although at one point, I thought the match might go to five sets. But winning it in four is even better – and we’re very happy."
With the title and the top purse of $20,000, Zhetysu VC not only completed a flawless championship run but also stamped its mark as the team to beat in Asian women’s club volleyball.
Zhetysu VC and VTV Bình ?i?n Long An also clinched berths in the FIVB World Women’s Volleyball Club Championship slated in September in Thailand.
Zhetysu VC appeared poised for a cruise after steamrolling VTV Bình ?i?n Long An in the opening set with a crisp and authoritative display of power and defense. However, the Vietnamese regrouped superbly in the second set, responding with fierce attacks and steady defense to level the match.
The third set proved pivotal. VTV Bình ?i?n Long An, with Tran Thi Thanh Thuy leading the charge, dictated the pace early, building what seemed like a commanding lead.
The nine-time Kazakhstan Women’s National League champion did fight back but still found themselves on the brink of a 1-2 set deficit in the stretch. But the Kazakhs pounced on Thi Nhu Quynh Vi’s attack fault to break the 23-all count, then Yakutina rose to the occasion with a clutch block on Vi to steal the pivotal set and shift the momentum entirely.
With their confidence soaring, the Kazakhs delivered a masterclass in the fourth set. They quickly turned a slim 12-10 advantage into a commanding 19-13 lead, fueled by a fiery 7-3 run orchestrated by Valeriya Yakutina, Karyna Denysova and Daria Sharhorodska – a surge that effectively took the fight out of the Vietnamese side.
Denysova saved her best for last, powering Zhetysu with a tournament-high 23 points alongside 10 excellent digs and five excellent receptions, capping a dominant performance for the FIVB Women’s Club Championship-bound squad.
Zhetysu closed the tournament, supported by local partners PLDT, MWell, Eagle Cement, Rebisco, Akari, Gameville, PNVF, PSC, Cignal, and The Look Group, with an unblemished 5-0 record.
Tatyana Nikitina added 16 points and seven excellent digs, while Yakutina produced 12 markers, highlighted by four attacks and six emphatic kill blocks in the 87-minute finale.
Yuliia Dymar contributed nine points, complementing her effort with six excellent digs and eight excellent receptions, while Sharhorodska delivered eight points off four attacks, three service aces, and a kill block, capping a complete team effort for Zhetysu VC – now the fifth Kazakh club to claim the AVC Women’s Champions League title in the tournament organized by Sports Vision.
Denysova capped her impressive campaign by capturing the Tournament MVP award along with one of the Best Outside Hitter honors. Also named to the tournament’s Dream Team were Valeriya Yakutina (Best Middle Blocker) and Daria Sharhorodska (Best Setter).
From VTV Bình ?i?n Long An, Vi was named Best Outside Hitter, Thuy earned the Best Opposite Spiker award, and Khanh Dang Nguyen took home the Best Libero plum to round out the Vietnamese squad’s individual accolades.
Tichakorn Boonklert of Nakhon Ratchasima completed the Dream Team roster after securing the other Best Middle Blocker award.
Thuy was a relentless force for Bình ?i?n Long An, finishing with a match-high 28 points along with six excellent digs and six excellent receptions, while Vi contributed 19 points and tallied 10 excellent digs in a valiant effort.
