Thai women lose to Italy but clinch place in final round
The Thai women’s national volleyball team have qualified for the final round of the FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League for the first time, despite losing their last league game on Sunday.
The Thais were humbled in straights sets 25-20, 25-14, 25-14 by Italy in the the third week of the league at Armeets Arena in Sofia, Bulgaria. Matches in the first week were held in Turkey, the second week in the Philippines and the third week in Bulgaria.
Thailand pipped Germany to a spot in the final round after the US beat the Germans 3-1. Germany’s defeat helped Thailand finish eighth in the 16-team round-robin league with 15 points from five wins and seven losses, winning 22 sets and losing 25.
Thailand will take on hosts Turkey on July 13 at Ankara Arena in Ankara, Turkey.
Turkey finished seventh in the league but get the top seeding as the host nation.
The winner of the Thailand-Turkey match will face Italy or China in the semifinal.
The FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League has been held three times since 2018.
Thailand has never reached the final round as they finished 15th in 2018, 12th in 2019, and 16th in 2021.
