Kaohsiung Taipower sent a thunderous message to the rest of the 2025 AVC Women’s Club Volleyball Championship field, dismantling Hong Kong’s Hip Hing, 25-10, 25-16, 25-14, to open its campaign with authority on Sunday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The nine-time Top Volleyball League champions from Taiwan wasted no time asserting their dominance, overwhelming the reigning Hong Kong Women’s Volleyball League titlists with a blistering display of power, precision, and cohesion to seize early control of Pool B in the four-group tournament.
Leading the charge was Peng Yu-Rou, who fired 16 points on 15 scorching kills. Tsai Yu-Chun provided solid support with 11 markers, eight of them coming off clean strikes.
Hsu Wan-Yun chipped in seven markers, while team captain Huang Ching Hsuan, and middle blockers Hu Xiao-Pei and Pao Yin-Chi added six and five points, respectively, underscoring Taipower’s balanced, all-hands-on-deck offense.
(C) PVL Images
“It’s important for me as a volleyball player to gain this kind of experience. It also matters that our team gets to participate in a tournament like this,” said starting setter Hung Chia-Yao, who not only orchestrated the attack but also contributed 10 excellent digs and two points.
But the road doesn’t get easier for the Taiwanese, who will face the debuting Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino champions Petro Gazz Angels on Monday at 4:00 PM.
Meanwhile, Hip Hing will aim to rebound against Petro Gazz on Tuesday at 7:00 PM.
Taipower’s control was absolute, particularly in the third frame where the Taiwanese raced to a 14-6 advantage. A flurry of punishing plays — a crosscourt kill by Hsu, a lightning-quick set to Lin, another thunderous spike from Hsu, and a rapid-fire middle hit from Hu — blew the match wide open at 21-10.
The Taiwanese sealed the win in emphatic fashion with an off-speed shot from Hsu and back-to-back down-the-line rockets from Peng, capping a 64-minute demolition.
Despite an already dominant opening frame, Taipower never took its foot off the gas. A slim 9-6 lead in the second set ballooned into a 19-10 rout as the Taiwanese tightened the screws defensively and unloaded a relentless stream of attacks that left Hip Hing reeling.
“It’s a new experience in our life and we can have many learnings in other countries — like how they play volleyball and also for our communication,” added middle blocker Hu.
(C) PVL Images
No player from Hip Hing reached double digits in scoring, typifying their struggle against Taipower’s airtight net defense and overwhelming firepower.
Outside hitter Pang Wing Lam led the Hong Kong squad with seven points, while setter Fung Tsz Yan managed four markers.
