RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s women’s volleyball team displayed remarkable resilience despite suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat to Vietnam in the AVC Women’s Cup 2026 on Monday, June 8, 2026, earning praise for its improved performance and determination throughout the match.

Indonesia started strongly and claimed the opening set 25-18. Vietnam responded by taking the next two sets 25-22 and 25-18 to move ahead. Trailing 2-1, the team coached by Marcos Sugiyama regained its rhythm in the fourth set and secured a 25-19 victory to force a deciding fifth set.

The final set was closely contested, with both teams exchanging leads before Vietnam edged out Indonesia 15-13 to seal the match 3-2 (18-25, 25-22, 25-18, 19-25, 15-13).

“The national team has returned to its performance level. Indonesia’s women’s national volleyball team showed extraordinary fighting spirit,” team manager Luciana Taroreh said in a written statement, on Monday, June 8, as quoted by Antara.

According to Luciana, Vietnam’s experience and composure ultimately made the difference. “Vietnam was calmer in crucial moments. That is proof of their champion mentality, being able to handle pressure in a very tight match,” said the former Indonesian volleyball star of the 1980s.

Despite the defeat, the performance was viewed as a positive step forward for Indonesia after a straight-sets loss to Kazakhstan on Sunday. The result also highlighted the team’s ability to bounce back following its opening 3-1 victory over Iran, providing valuable momentum for the remainder of the AVC Women’s Cup 2026 campaign. ***