Women's Volleyball Team Defeats Philippines for 3rd Consecutive AVC Cup Win; Kang So-hwi Scores 19

The women's national volleyball team (ranked 39th in the world), led by head coach Cha Sang-hyun, has secured its third consecutive victory at the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup for Women.
The national team defeated the Philippines (ranked 46th) in a Pool A match held at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur, Philippines, today (June 9), with a set score of 3-0.
Following victories over Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Team Cha has now swept the Philippines 3-0, placing them at the top of the group with 3 wins and 9 points.
The match was relatively competitive.
In the first set, with the score at 12-10, the national team extended its lead by scoring three consecutive points, fueled by an open attack from Kang So-hwi (Korea Expressway Corporation) and a block by Lee Ju-ah (IBK Altos).
At 17-11, Kang So-hwi delivered a service ace, effectively dampening the opponent's momentum.
The second set proved to be a tighter contest.
The national team allowed the Philippines to tie the score after failing to properly receive serves at 11-9.
However, Kang So-hwi stepped up as a playmaker in critical moments, executing a spike at 12-11 and another service ace at 18-14 to lift the team out of danger.
Kang So-hwi continued her stellar performance in the third set.
South Korea struggled mid-set as their serve reception faltered, falling behind.
However, at 18-20, Kang So-hwi turned the tide by slamming a powerful spike into an open space on the opponent's court.
Following this, South Korea successfully turned the game around with a service ace from Na Hyun-soo (Hyundai E&C Hillstate) and a block by Lee Ju-ah.
At 21-20, Kang So-hwi scored three consecutive points, effectively sealing the match.
Kang So-hwi recorded a game-high 19 points, including 3 service aces and 1 block.
The tournament features 12 teams divided into two groups for the group stage, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals to compete for the title.
The national team is scheduled to play against Australia on the 11th and Taiwan on the 12th.
Japan, China, and Thailand, which are participating in the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Volleyball Nations League (VNL), are not competing in this tournament.
(Photo: Captured from the AVC Cup for Women official website, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.