Without Bích Tuyền, will LPB Ninh Bình struggle to compete for the national championship?

Nguyễn Thị Bích Tuyền has been a pivotal factor in LPB Ninh Bình’s achievements during the last two seasons.

Recently, surprising news for Vietnamese volleyball fans revealed that Nguyễn Thị Bích Tuyền will not participate as a player in the second phase of the 2025 National Championship with LPB Ninh Bình. Instead, she will join her teammates as an assistant coach.

The reason given is that the opposite hitter from Vĩnh Long suffered an abdominal muscle injury and is not fit for the upcoming crucial matches, despite training with the team recently.

With an unbeaten streak of 5 matches in phase 1, LPB Ninh Bình is a strong contender for the championship and openly aims to reclaim the throne as they did in the 2023 season. Foreign player Miroslava Paskova has also returned to the "Ancient Capital," and the duo of Bích Tuyền and Paskova is truly a nightmare for every domestic club’s defense.

However, with Bích Tuyền unexpectedly unable to join phase 2, LPB Ninh Bình’s chances of competing for the title have significantly diminished.

The opposite hitter born in 2000 is the biggest star behind the successes the team from the ancient capital has achieved in the last two seasons. In 2023, Bích Tuyền shone brilliantly, helping LPB Ninh Bình win their first national championship.

This championship opened the door for LPB Ninh Bình to compete on the continental and global stage. Thanks to Bích Tuyền’s top-level scoring ability, coach Thái Thanh Tùng’s team excelled as runners-up at the 2024 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship, earning a spot in the World Club Championship the same year. Additionally, last year Ninh Bình secured two silver medals at the Hùng Vương Cup and VTV9 - Bình Điền Cup, with Bích Tuyền playing an indispensable role.

At the start of this season, the 25-year-old hitter continued to explode in form, helping the team win the Hùng Vương Cup for the first time. It’s fair to say that Nguyễn Thị Bích Tuyền accounts for about 50% of LPB Ninh Bình’s strength, alongside middle blockers Nguyễn Thị Trinh and Lê Thanh Thúy.

The absence of Nguyễn Thị Bích Tuyền forces coach Thái Thanh Tùng to make suitable strategic adjustments for the upcoming matches. With the opposite hitter position vacant, will Miroslava Paskova or even middle blocker Nguyễn Thị Trinh fill the gap left by Bích Tuyền?

Foreign player Paskova will be the biggest hope for the 2023 champions’ offense, alongside young talent Bùi Thị Ánh Thảo, who is currently on loan from Hà Nội.

Given the challenges in squad depth and facing strong rivals like Thông tin - Đông Bắc, along with potential competitors in the next round such as VTV Bình Điền Long An, VietinBank, and HCĐG Lào Cai—clubs that have invested well in foreign players—the championship chances for Nguyễn Thị Trinh and her teammates have been clearly affected.

LPB Ninh Bình’s first match in phase 2 of the 2025 Women's National Volleyball Championship will take place on October 8 against Thông tin - Đông Bắc.

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Bích Tuyền shines as LPB Ninh Bình wins the Hùng Vương Cup for the first time (Volleyball results) - The outstanding performances of Nguyễn Thị Bích Tuyền and Miroslava Paskova helped LPB secure a decisive victory over Thông tin - Đông Bắc, claiming their first-ever Hùng Vương Cup title. See more