Indonesia Falls to Thailand in AVC U18 Women's Quarterfinals

Thailand’s victory secured their place in the semifinals, while Indonesia will now compete in the classification round for fifth to eighth place.

The team is scheduled to face Kazakhstan next, with head coach relying on key players Khanza Putri Yansi Ganeshtri, Venisa, and Tina to lead the charge. Venisa Dri Oktaviani emerged as Indonesia’s top scorer with 10 points, but her efforts were not enough to prevent the loss.

Team manager Luciana Taroreh praised the squad’s determination, noting that Indonesia had already exceeded expectations by advancing to the quarterfinals after finishing second in their group.

“The players gave their all against one of Asia’s strongest teams, especially under the pressure of Thailand’s home support,” Luciana said.

She emphasized that the defeat should be seen as a valuable lesson for the young athletes, who had earlier secured their quarterfinal berth with a 3-0 win over the Philippines.

“This result may not meet our hopes, but it’s an important experience. The players must train harder to build the mental strength needed to face top-tier opponents,” she added.

Luciana highlighted areas for improvement, including consistency in receiving, defensive organization, and reducing unforced errors in crucial moments.

She also expressed gratitude to Indonesian supporters, stressing that the tournament serves as a foundation for future development. “Thank you to everyone back home for the support. We will use this championship as preparation for upcoming competitions,” she said.

Assistant coach Bobby Ade Setiawan echoed the sentiment, urging the team to regroup quickly. “Today we couldn’t deliver the best result, but tomorrow against Kazakhstan we hope to perform better,” he remarked. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)