China: Jiangsu sweep reigning champions and advance to semifinals as pool leaders!

Apart from Shanghai, the name of one more team that progressed to the playoff semifinals of the 2019/20 Chinese volleyball Championship is known: Jiangsu.
In the last round of the quarterfinal stage, they beat the defending champions and also the only team that secured a place in the playoff semifinals of the 2019/20 Super League prior to today, Shanghai: 3-0 (25:18, 25:23, 28:26). So, Jiangsu took over the top spot from Shanghai in Pool E. The reason? Both have a 3-2 record and 9 points, even though Jiangsu have a better set-ratio.

After yesterday’s adjustments in the lineup that cost his team a painless defeat, the Shanghai head coach Shen Qiong put back all starter players into the court. Unfortunately, the starting opposite Wu Pengzhi suffered an injury in the second set and didn’t return to the match. The outside hitter Yu Yuantai was Jiangsu’s top scorer with 19 points. This outcome eliminated Sichuan, who defeated Henan by a 3-1, from participating in the semifinals.

A decision on the two semifinal spots from Pool F will be made tomorrow with three teams having chances to progress.

Quarterfinals | August 27 |

| Pool E |

Jiangsu – Shanghai 3-0 (25:18, 25:23, 28:26)
Top Scorers: Yu Yuantai 10, Liu Xiangdong 13, Zhang Chen 8, Yuan Huilong 8;
Dai Qingyao 11, Han Tianyi 11, Qin Zhen 10, Wu Pengzhi 10, Chen Longhai 7.

Sichuan – Henan 3-1 (21:25, 25:15, 25:16, 25:19)
Top Scorers: Guo Shunxiang 21, Li Rui 15, Peng Shikun 12, Du Haixiang 10;
Sun Guanhao 13, Li Yize 13, Ba Long 8.

| Pool F |

Dayoff: Fujian, Zhejiang, Shandong, Beijing

| Standings Pool E |

Jiangsu 9
Shanghai 9
Sichuan 8
Henan 4

| Standings Pool F |

Zhejiang 10
Shandong 8
Beijing 6
Fujian 0

Formula: 1st phase (January 19, and August 20/22) with 13 teams divided into 4 pools. The best 2 teams from each pool qualify for the quarter-finals. Semi-finals on August 29. Final 1st-2nd place best-of-3 games (August 31, September 1, September 2).