Iranâs superior set quotient secured them a spot in Wednesdayâs final of the 2024 WPV Sitting Volleyball Final Qualifier for Women, presented by Delin Company, edging ahead of Ukraine despite their five-set loss to the European team on Tuesday morning at the Dali International Olympic Sports Centre.
In the heart-pounding opener between Iran and Ukraine, spectators were treated to thrilling five-setter, where Ukraine rallied from a 2-1 set deficit and ultimately emerged victorious with a 3-2 (25-20, 20-25, 18-25, 25-13, 15-13) triumph.
The encounter reached its climax in the fifth and final set, where the European squad got off to a great start, leading 8-2. Farzaneh Heidari spearheaded Iranâs charge, helping Iran wipe out the lead with her excellence net defence, while her teammates executed a great game from the service line. As Ukraine suffered from errors from the attack line, Iran snatched the lead 10-9.
Two costly attack errors by Iran swung the momentum and the lead back to Ukraine at 12-10, until an Antonina Zhuk back row attack winner, an Iranian attack error and a Liudmyla Lozko kill sealed the match victory for Ukraine.
With three wins and two losses each and a tied points total of 10, Iran will still advance to the final with better set quotient.
In the second match, Germanhy concluded their campaign on a positive note with a 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-17) victory over Thailand. Despite facing tough competition throughout the tournament, Germany displayed resilience, ending with a commendable 3-2 record.
In the exhibition between China and Slovenia, the former showcased their dominance with a convincing 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-16) win. Slovenia showed glimpses of their potential in the second and straight sets, but Chinaâs experience and pedigree ultimately proved too much to handle.
