The AVC Champions League 2025 went to Zhetysu of Kazakhstan who ruled the tournament right from the word go.
The invincible club defeated Vietnam’s VTV Binh Dien Long An in the final, winning in four sets, 25-14, 20-25, 25-23, 25-18, on Sunday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, Philippines.
Zhetysu dominated the tournament, winning all five of their matches in the Philippines and dropping only a set en route the final match.
The Kazakhstani club claimed an Asian continental crown for the first time in history. They had previously secured two silver and two bronze medals in the Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championships.
Binh Dien settled for silver, the club’s first continental medal and overall third for Vietnamese teams.
The first AVC Women’s Champions League bronze was bagged by last year’s Asian Club Championship bronze medalists Nakhon Ratchasima QminC of Thailand.
AVC Champions League 2025: Zhetysu’s journey
The Kazakhstani club swept its pool matches against hosts Creamline Cool Smashers Pasig and Jordan’s Al Naser Amman, as well as their quarterfinal with another Filipino opponent, PLDT High Speed Hitters Manila. In the semifinals, Zhetysu posted a thumping 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-21) win over Nakhon Ratchasima to progress to the final against Binh Dien.
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The Final Showdown
Zhetysu captain and outside hitter Karyna Denysova led the way with 23 points anchored on 21 attacks, one block, and one ace as Zhetysu capped off a perfect run that saw them winning all five games from the group stage up to the finals.
They recovered from an early five-point deficit in the crucial fourth set after the Vietnamese club raced to a 10-5 lead on an error from the opposing side.
But Zhetysu didn’t fold and slowly got back to its groove, forcing a 23-all deadlock after an attack error from Vietnam’s skipper Tran Thi Thanh Thuy.
The club took the match point at 24-23 before 6-foot-4 middle blocker Valeriya Yakutina obstructed Vi Thi Nhu Quynh to deliver the game-winning point.
Opposite hitter Tatyana Nikitina supplied the help with 16 points on 14 attacks, one block, and an ace while Yakutina and Yuliia Dymar chipped in 12 and nine markers apiece.
