Kazakhstan dominated Hong Kong, taking a decisive 25-17, 25-18, 25-4 sweep, securing the second seed in Pool B of the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Women, on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Kazakhs completely overwhelmed Hong Kong, sealing the game and securing their spot in the semifinals with a 3-1 record, just behind top-ranked Vietnam with a flawless 4-0 record.
“This is a very crucial game. It’s our last chance to reach the semifinals. We understood this and knew we needed to win. Just win,” said team captain Sana Anarkulova after their decisive match against Hong Kong, who were relegated to the classification match.
Anarkulova scored 22 points with 19 attacks, two blocks, and one ace, while Zhanna Syroyeshkina supported her with 16 points from 10 attacks, five aces, and one block in the 65-minute contest.
Yuliya Yakimova and Kristina Anikonova contributed seven points each for Kazakhstan, while Svetlana Nikolayeva finished with six points.
Kazakhstan dominated in every scoring aspect, tallying a total of 44 attacks, 12 aces, and six kill blocks, while Hong Kong managed only 25 attacks and two aces without a single block.
Kazakhstan will face the top-ranked team in Pool A, possibly the Philippines or Australia, on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.
Lam Shum led Hong Kong, who finished third with a 2-2 record, with 10 points, while Wing Lam Chim had eight.
Hong Kong will play against the fourth-placed team in Pool A at 1:00 a.m. also on Tuesday.
