In the first round of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Super League playoffs, the defending champions Tianjin Volleyball Team faced off against Liaoning, ranked second in their group. Tianjin continued their excellent performance from the Volleyball World Club Cup, achieving a three-game winning streak. Liaoning also made a remarkable comeback, overcoming relegation matches in the regular season and subsequently defeating Shandong and Beijing in the playoffs, securing a favorable ranking. If they could secure another victory, they would ensure their advancement to the top four, as it was unlikely that Shandong would defeat Tianjin.
Tianjin ultimately defeated Liaoning 3-0, advancing to the semifinals two rounds early. Liaoning's key player Ding Xia rested for this match, making it challenging for Liaoning. It seemed like a strategic decision to focus on competing against Shandong and Beijing instead. In the first set, Liaoning surprisingly dominated until the score reached 10-all, when Tianjin finally caught up. During Chen Boya's serving turn, Liaoning struggled, only breaking through at 17-10.
Liaoning did have a small surge, closing the gap to 16-20, forcing Tianjin to call a timeout. Yao Di's serving turn caused Liaoning to lose another three points. Chen Boya's attack secured set point, and she teamed up with Fetisova for a double block to win the first set 25-17. The second set was equally intense, with Liaoning leading by two points at 14-12 before Tianjin called a timeout and then scored three consecutive points. Liaoning called their second timeout at 19-15, but they fought back fiercely at the end of the set, tying the score at 23-all.
It was Li Yingying who came through in the clutch, scoring the decisive point to help her team win the second set 25-23. In the third set, Liaoning continued to play well, keeping the score close until the latter stages. However, Tianjin's numerous attacking options and Yao Di's varied choices allowed them to pull away. Ding Xia came off the bench, not to reverse the game but to maintain the rhythm. Tianjin eventually won the match 26-24. Chen Boya's serving in the first set, Li Yingying's decisive strike in the second, and Tianjin's blocking in the third were crucial factors in their successful advancement to the semifinals.
