Vietnamese volleyball 'giant' transforms into a super blocker in debut match for Thai club

This impressive-height opposite hitter's debut in the Thai National Championship could not have been more spectacular.

Opposite hitter Ly Thi Luyen made an impressive debut in the 2025-2026 Thai Women's Volleyball National Championship (Thai League), playing a key role in helping Nakhon Ratchasima secure a convincing victory.

After several weeks of training and adapting to the volleyball environment in Thailand, Ly Thi Luyen was officially given the opportunity to play for her new team. Nakhon Ratchasima's opponent was Kanchanaburi Power. Living up to expectations, the tallest female volleyball player in Vietnam delivered a standout performance, contributing to her team's swift 3-0 victory.

In this match, Ly Thi Luyen was the top scorer for Nakhon Ratchasima with a total of 14 points. Notably, 8 of her points came from blocks – a factor that clearly demonstrates the significant progress of the 2000-born opposite hitter in defensive skills.

Previously not highly rated for her blocking judgment, scoring 8 block points in her first Thai National Championship match shows the remarkable improvement of the 1.95m tall opposite hitter after training and adapting to the new competitive environment.

The impressive debut also helped the 25-year-old athlete quickly gain favor with the coaching staff and fans of Nakhon Ratchasima. Playing in the Thai National Championship is expected to help the Vietnamese hitter accumulate more experience and enhance her professional skills.

Nakhon Ratchasima is the second foreign club Ly Thi Luyen has played for. Shortly before, she joined Hobby Ace on loan and made a significant contribution helping the team become runner-up in the Mongolian National Championship.

Playing in the Thai League does not affect Ly Luyen's ability to participate in the first stage of the Vietnamese National Championship. She will still compete in the initial phase of the season with her home club, HCĐG Lao Cai.