Despite Brayelin Martinez`s impressive performance contributing 33 points, China managed to overcome the Dominican Republic in a hard-fought match in Arlington.
China moved a significant step closer to securing qualification for the Volleyball Nations League 2025 Finals. They demonstrated impressive resolve and nerve to claim their first victory in the third and final week of the event`s Preliminary Phase on Wednesday in Arlington.
Playing against the Dominican Republic, a direct competitor for one of the remaining four spots in the VNL 2025 Finals, the Chinese team narrowly triumphed with a 3-2 (25-22, 17-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-13) win at the College Park Center. This intense victory brings them nearer to booking their spot for the Finals, scheduled to take place in Łódź, Poland, from July 23-27.
With this win against the team known as the “Queens of the Caribbean,” China maintains their sixth position in the VNL standings. They now have a slightly more comfortable standing, boasting six wins and 17 points. Importantly, they prevented the Dominicans, who are currently tenth with four wins and ten points, from gaining ground at the outset of the final preliminary week.
Outside hitter Mengjie Wu played a crucial role in China`s success, leading her team`s offense with an impressive 25 points, which included 22 kills, two aces, and one block. This performance marks her fourth consecutive match in the VNL 2025 where she has scored 24 points or more.
Team captain and opposite Gong Xiangyu recovered from a quiet start, where she managed just one point in the initial two sets, to finish as the team`s second-highest scorer with 18 points, consisting of 16 kills and two blocks.
Our players are highly deserving of credit for this win. They played with immense passion and fought back relentlessly. We executed well in blocking and defense, particularly in the closing stages of the match. We will analyze this game to identify areas for improvement before our next challenges.
— Head coach Yong Zhao
Blocking proved to be a pivotal element in China`s victory, with the team scoring 15 points at the net compared to their opponents` ten. This advantage helped to offset the Dominican Republic`s dominance in attack (74 kills to 65) and serving (eight aces to six). The match featured relatively few unforced errors overall, with the Dominicans giving up 18 points and the Chinese 15.
Star outside hitter Brayelin Martinez, serving as team captain this week, delivered a tremendously effective performance for the Dominicans, keeping them competitive throughout the match. She concluded the game with a remarkable 33 points, including 28 kills and five blocks. Opposite Gaila Gonzalez also had a strong outing, contributing 22 points (17 kills, five aces).
I felt our team was quite aggressive, and our serving was particularly effective. China, being a great team, certainly had their strong moments. However, we never gave up the fight. We battled through all five sets, trading points back and forth, but ultimately, one team has to be on the losing side.
— Setter Ariana Rodriguez
Germany Triumphs Over Canada in Five Sets
In another five-set thriller that opened the week`s competition in Arlington, Germany emerged victorious against Canada, winning 3-2 (24-26, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13). Later that day, host nation United States was scheduled to face Thailand.
Looking ahead to Thursday`s matches, Thailand and Germany are set to compete, followed by the USA taking on the Dominican Republic.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick