The 20th round of the Women's Volleyball Super League is set to begin tomorrow, marking the conclusion of the first stage of the playoffs. According to the schedule, the first stage of the playoffs features eight teams divided into two groups, C and D, with each group consisting of four teams participating in a home-and-away round-robin format for a total of six rounds. Today's matches are part of the sixth round, and although the first stage group matches have not yet concluded, the qualification situation for each group has become clear. In Group C, Jiangsu Zhongtian Steel and Shanghai Bright Dairy have secured their spots in the top four by finishing as the top two teams in their group. Similarly, in Group D, Tianjin Bohai Bank and Liaoning Donggang Strawberry have emerged from their group. Following the second stage playoff format, the four qualifying teams will enter Group E, while the remaining four teams will join Group F. The second stage will also consist of a home-and-away round-robin format for a total of four rounds. After these four rounds, the results from both stages will be combined. In Group E, the first-place team will face the fourth-place team, and the second-place team will compete against the third-place team in the semi-finals. Group F will conduct a ranking match for positions 5 to 8. This season is indeed complex, as the results from the regular season's 14 games do not carry over into the playoffs.
The specific matchups for tomorrow night are as follows:
Group C 15:30 Shenzhen Zhongse Longhua vs Jiangsu Zhongtian Steel
In the battle between the top and bottom of Group C, Shenzhen has only managed one win across 19 matches in both the regular season and playoffs, which ironically came against Jiangsu during the regular season, causing some embarrassment for Jiangsu. With Jiangsu already qualified, they are likely to implement a rotation system to rest their main players. Wu Mengjie's outstanding performance in the first two rounds has been impressive. Facing Shenzhen away, Jiangsu should secure a victory without much difficulty.
Group C 15:30 Shanghai Bright Dairy vs Fujian Anxi Tieguanyin
Despite commendable overall performances from Fujian's Zhuang Yushan and Zheng Yixin, the team has failed to qualify from the group, which is somewhat disappointing. Since the departure of Xiao Caiwa, Shanghai's strength has been affected to some extent, but the combination of Zhong Hui and Ouyang Qiqi in the main attack position has adequately compensated for this deficiency. With tomorrow's match being held at Shanghai's home court, they should have a higher chance of winning.
Group D 15:30 Liaoning Donggang Strawberry vs Beijing BAIC Women's Volleyball Team
Beijing BAIC has suffered five consecutive defeats in the playoffs, becoming a pair of hard-luck sisters with Shenzhen, leaving much to be said. Liaoning, on the other hand, has shown remarkable resilience, finishing second-to-last in the regular season and facing relegation. However, they have displayed great courage in the playoffs, overcoming obstacles to secure a spot in the top four. Playing at home this time, Liaoning is determined to fight for another victory.
Group D 15:30 Tianjin Bohai Bank vs Shandong Rizhao Steel
After securing qualification from the group, Tianjin rested their key players such as Li Yingying and Liu Liwen in the previous round, while Wang Yizhu led the team to continue their excellent performance. It is expected that the main players will continue to rest in this round, providing more opportunities for the substitute players to gel. Tianjin is expected to continue their winning streak with their strong strength and home advantage.