LookAtVietnam – Defending champions Sanest Khanh Hoa will face Army Corps 4 in the men’s group B opener at the National Ail-Star Volleyball Championship from March 21 to April 5.

Khanh Hoa will play without its two Indonesian stars Ayzip Rizal and Affan Priyo Wicaksono, in the first stage, but will rely on star player Ngo Van Kieu, who has played on loan with the Samato team in Indonesia since last April.

The women’s group B curtain-raiser will see a clash between the Military Signal Corps Command and Vinh Long Television, while Bai Bang Paper Mill will play with Thai Binh in group A.

The defending women’s champs, Military Signal Corps, will show off their teen star Tran Thi Ngoc Diep, 19, who stands at 1.85m. Diep is the youngest and tallest player in the team’s history.

The first stage of the top national championship will feature two dozen men’s and women’s teams competing in a round robin. The winner will take a cup and a cash prize of VND30 million (US$1,700) - the largest cash prize of any of the country’s national volleyball tournaments.

The runner-up will pocket VND20 million ($1,143), and the third-place team will receive VND10 million ($572).

At the championship, teams are allowed to sign two foreign players. Only one may be on the court at any given time.

According to Viet Nam Volleyball Federation (VVF)’s general secretary Tran Duc Phan, this year’s championship will be a warm up for national men’s and women’s team members to hone their skills for the Southeast Asian Games in Laos later this year and the Asian Women’s Championship.

“This year will be tough for Vietnamese volleyballers as they compete in big games and go abroad for further training,” Phan said.

“We expect to hire a foreign coach for the women’s team in preparation for the SEA Games in Laos - where the team hopes to bag a silver medal,” he said.

Viet Nam’s greatest achievement so far has been a silver medal at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines and the men’s 2007 silver medal at the SEA Games in Thailand.

Volleyball was the second sport (after football) to enter the professional arena three years ago.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News