VNL 2025: China Edges Bulgaria in Five-Set Thriller

On June 19, in the second match of the day during Week 2 Pool 5 in Hong Kong, China narrowly defeated Bulgaria in a five-set battle (25-21, 22-25, 25-15, 24-26, 16-14) to secure their fourth victory in this VNL campaign. Bulgaria’s win-loss record, on the other hand, dropped to 2-4. Chinese outside hitter Wu Mengjie delivered an outstanding performance, leading all scorers with 32 points.

Post-Match Reactions from China

In a post-match interview with our journalist, Chinese middle blocker Wang Yuanyuan praised the team for their unity and resilience. She acknowledged that the team, which includes many young players, experienced some fluctuations during the match, but described this as a normal part of the game. Despite losing a tightly contested fourth set, she expressed satisfaction with the team’s ability to regroup and win the decisive fifth set. Wang emphasized the team’s determination to give their best in the upcoming matches.

Chinese outside hitter Zhuang Yushan, also interviewed by our journalist, commented on the pressure Bulgaria brought during the match. She credited the team’s togetherness for helping them withstand the challenges. Zhuang said they focused on playing each point well rather than worrying about the outcome, and while the fourth set was disappointing, she expressed satisfaction with the overall result.

Post-Match Reactions from Bulgaria

Bulgarian opposite Radostina Marinova described the match as a really good game, especially in the lively atmosphere of the arena. She expressed disappointment that they couldn’t secure the win despite coming very close but noted that earning a point from the match was a positive takeaway as they shift focus to their next game.

Our journalist also spoke with Bulgarian middle blocker Hristina Hristova Vuchkova, who voiced frustration about the team’s inability to close out the match. She emphasized the importance of learning from each game, regardless of the result, and noted that the team did a good job overall except for one set. Vuchkova expressed hope that similar mistakes would not happen again in future matches.

Video Interviews of the Matchday

(Reported by Boris CHUNG Bok Man)