Indonesia’s First Victory Brings Mental Breakthrough at U18 Asian Volleyball
- 15 Jul 2026 20:05 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- The Indonesian U18 men’s volleyball team secured their first tournament win by sweeping Hong Kong 3–0.
- Head coach Odyk Hermanto praised the team's improved rhythm and tactical execution during the match.
- The Indonesian national team finished Group A in third place with a 1–2 record.
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s U18 men’s volleyball team finally found their rhythm at the Asian U18 Championship 2026 in Haikou, China, with head coach Odyk Hermanto describing the win over Hong Kong as a turning point for his players’ confidence.
The team secured their first victory of the tournament by sweeping Hong Kong 3–0 (25–16, 25–14, 25–20) at the Wuyuanhe Gymnasium on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
“In this match, they played more freely. The system worked, and they managed the rhythm well,” Odyk said in a statement from Jakarta, as quoted by Antara.
He noted the performance was markedly different from Indonesia’s opening two matches against hosts China and Taiwan, where the players appeared tense and overly cautious. Indonesia lost 1–3 to China and fell in straight sets to Taiwan, though both matches showed flashes of resilience.
Against China, they pushed the first two sets to narrow margins before claiming the third 25–21. Versus Taiwan, they battled hard in the first and third sets, losing 30–32 and 24–26.
Odyk believes the win over Hong Kong will help the squad shed pressure and play with greater confidence in the classification round for places nine to sixteen.
“As long as they play without burden and follow the tactics we’ve prepared, the opportunities are there. The most important thing is to play freely,” he concluded.
Indonesia closed Group A in third place with one win and two losses, but the breakthrough victory may prove vital in shaping their mental resilience for the remainder of the championship. ***
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