The encounter between the "girlfriend teams" of Jiangsu and Fujian women's volleyball teams on the court evokes a myriad of emotions. They were intimately celebrating together at the National Games, but now they must fight fiercely for a qualifying spot, which is perhaps the harsh reality of professional sports.
Jiangsu women's volleyball team demonstrated an intense desire to win in this match, fielding their strongest lineup with the return of three main players and the addition of the newly recruited beautiful vice attacker Jin Hao. This lineup configuration clearly indicates that Jiangsu takes this match more seriously than an ordinary league confrontation.
In the first set of the game, Fujian women's volleyball team seemed to still be showing politeness, resulting in a harsh lesson from Jiangsu with a score of 25-14. Such a point difference is rare in top-level leagues, perhaps because Fujian was too naive to think that girlfriends could treat each other warmly.
The main players of the two teams are inseparable good sisters in the national team, especially Jiangsu's second passer Di Linyu and Fujian's main attacker Zheng Yixin, whose friendship in the national team is well-known. However, in this match, they had to put aside their personal relationships.
Shanghai women's volleyball team holds a special position in this group. Their strength is relatively stable, and they are likely to defeat both of these girlfriend teams, making the remaining qualifying spots even more precious. Jiangsu and Fujian can only kill each other.
Not long ago at the National Games, Tianjin won the championship, while Jiangsu and Fujian won the runner-up and third place respectively. According to convention, the champion should be congratulated first, but these girlfriend teams didn't care about that and started their own celebration directly.
The awkward scene of Tianjin standing aside made people laugh, although this unconventional behavior is not very rule-abiding, it truly reflects the deep friendship between the two teams.
This kind of friendship beyond competition is actually quite rare in professional sports, especially in highly competitive projects like women's volleyball, maintaining such a relationship is indeed not easy.
Jiangsu's performance in the first round of the game was ruthless. They left no room for Fujian, especially the 25-14 in the first set, which was simply a loud slap.
If Fujian wants to qualify, they must win against Jiangsu at home with a score no worse than 3-1. This requirement can be said to be quite demanding, as Jiangsu has already shown great strength.
The relationship between the two teams makes fans feel both heartbroken and helpless, but this is the true portrayal of professional sports. Even the best of friends must compete on the court.
Shanghai plays the role of a troublemaker in this group, and they are likely to affect the final qualifying situation, making the already complicated situation even more unpredictable.
Professional athletes must learn to handle the relationship between private friendships and competitions, which is particularly difficult for young players because they do not have enough experience to balance the two.
Jiangsu obviously did better in this regard. They resolutely chose victory, even if it might hurt their feelings with Fujian, this professional attitude is worthy of affirmation.
Fujian must show a stronger desire to win in the home game, otherwise, no matter how deep the friendship is, it cannot change the fate of being eliminated.
After this game, the relationship between the two teams may undergo subtle changes, but this is the charm of professional sports. It allows us to see various aspects of human nature.