After failing to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in its 48-year history at the Asian Championships, the South Korean women’s volleyball team (ranked 37th in the world) defeated Australia (53rd) in the final match of the quarterfinal round.

안전놀이터Korea defeated Australia 3-0 in straight sets (26-24, 25-13, 25-14) in Pool E of the quarterfinal round of the 2023 Asian Volleyball Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on Thursday (July 4).

With the win, Korea finished the quarterfinal round in third place in the group. They will play the fifth to eighth place match on Friday against the lowest-ranked team in Group F, India (67th), for the fifth place on Saturday with a win and a loss for the seventh place.

Photo: Asian Volleyball Federation
Outside hitter Park Jung-ah (Pepper Savings Bank) had a team-high 21 kills, including three blocks.

Korea faced a crisis in the first set when they were down 23-24 after leading 17-14, but a successful attack by Lee Han-bi (Pepper Savings Bank) and back-to-back points in the deuce battle gave them a 26-24 lead. From the second set onward, they were able to dominate the Aussies.

Photo: Asian Volleyball Federation

Photo/Asian Volleyball Federation
Korea’s hopes of reaching the quarterfinals were dashed the previous day (March 3) when they lost to Thailand 0-3 in straight sets. The team was still reeling from a shocking 2-3 upset loss to Vietnam in Group C. China-Japan (Group F) and Thailand-Vietnam (Group E) were finalized as the final four teams.

This is the first time the Korean women’s volleyball team has failed to reach the quarterfinals at the Asian Championships. South Korea first participated in the Asian Championships in 1975. They have reached the quarterfinals 20 times in a row, with the exception of the 2021 edition, which they missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and difficulties in assembling a national team shortly after the Tokyo 2020 Games. After reaching the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics, South Korea’s dominance in Asia has completely faded in just two years.

Photo: Asian Volleyball Federation
After the Tokyo Olympics, the Korean women’s volleyball team returned the flag of Kim Yeon-kyung (Heungkuk Life) and Yang Hyo-jin (Hyundai E&C). Since then, Coach Cesar has taken the helm and has been dealing with a dismal record as the program undergoes a generational change. When Cesar took the helm, Korea was ranked 14th in the FIVB rankings, but it dropped to 37th after the loss to Thailand on March 3.

The team rebounded with an embarrassing win over Australia, but there is a growing sense of urgency ahead of the Paris Olympic qualifiers and the Asian Games.