Vietnam's tallest setter celebrates a sweet birthday in Thailand by leading her team to the finals.

One day after her 26th birthday (March 27), setter Ly Thi Luyen played a key role in helping Nakhon Ratchasima reach the Thai women's volleyball championship finals with a dominant victory.

Ly Thi Luyen and her teammates advance to the Thai League finals.

The Thai League semifinal witnessed Nakhonratchasima's complete dominance as they controlled the match from start to finish against KKU Khonkaen Star. This six-time Thai League champion continuously built a safe lead through effective attacking and a solid blocking system, leaving the opponent almost no chance to turn the tide.

Ultimately, Nakhon Ratchasima secured a 3-0 victory (25-18, 25-18, 25-13) to advance to the finals. This marks the team's ninth finals appearance. In the previous eight, Nakhon Ratchasima won six times and finished runner-up twice. Their opponent in the final will be the winner of the other semifinal, scheduled at 2 PM tomorrow, March 29, between Chonburi and Harudot Chonburi RMUTT VC.

Notably, setter Ly Thi Luyen, despite only entering the match from the second half of set 2 and playing fully in set 3, still left a strong impression. She scored 7 points with a 50% attack efficiency, including 3 blocking points – a performance that made Luyen the most effective blocker in the semifinal.

Before joining Nakhonratchasima, Ly Thi Luyen played for Hobby Ace and significantly contributed to that club reaching the Mongolian national championship finals. Her international experience is helping the Vietnamese setter integrate quickly and contribute positively at the Thai club.

Significantly, this impressive achievement came just one day after Ly Thi Luyen celebrated her 26th birthday (March 27), making it a meaningful gift for her international career. Vietnamese fans and Nakhon Ratchasima supporters highly expect the 1.95m tall setter to help the club reach the pinnacle of Thai volleyball this season. Clearly, alongside Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and Tran Thi Bich Thuy, Ly Thi Luyen is also a standout for Vietnamese volleyball abroad.