The Korean women's Under-17 volleyball team cheers in a match against the Philippines at the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Girls' U17 World Championship in Los Andes, Chile, on Aug. 12.FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE VOLLEYBALL
The Korean women's U17 volleyball team advanced to the quarterfinals of the world championship Wednesday after sweeping the Philippines for a sixth consecutive victory.
Led by head coach Lee Seung-yeo, Korea prevailed in straight sets, 25-21, 25-18 and 25-14, in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Girls' U17 World Championship in Los Andes, Chile. Son Seo-yeon led Korea with 19 points, while Eo Min-seo added 15.
The victory extended Korea's unbeaten run to six matches after it topped Group D with five straight wins. The players kept the energy high with lively celebrations together as they scored each point.
Korea is making its first appearance at the women's U17 world championship after qualifying by winning the Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championshiplast year. It has now reached the final eight in its tournament debut.
The Philippines entered the match as an emerging force in Asian volleyball. The country has stepped up its efforts to develop the sport, including hosting international competitions and hiring foreign coaches. It also produced the current president of the Asian Volleyball Confederation.
The Philippines challenged Korea early in the opening set with aggressive serving, repeatedly targeting Son, Korea's leading scorer, to keep the score tied at 10-10.
Korea had other offensive options, however. Outside hitter Eo delivered strong defensive plays and used her quick swing to score, while Son came through with powerful spikes. Korea pulled away late in the first set on Philippine errors before opening a wider gap midway through the second.
Jang Su-in, left, and Choi Min-ju do Son Heung-min's trademark celebration in a match against the Philippines at the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Girls' U17 World Championship in Los Andes, Chile, on Aug. 12.FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE VOLLEYBALL
Setter Lee Seo-in also caught the Philippine blockers off guard with well-timed attacks of her own, occasionally sending the ball over the net herself instead of passing it to a hitter.
Middle blocker Choi Min-ju used her height effectively at the net, while libero Yeo Won and Jeon Hyeon-seo, who was brought in to bolster the defense, provided stability in the backcourt.
Eo continued her strong performance in the third set, converting difficult high balls and recording two service aces. A back-row attack by Jang Su-in with Korea leading 21-13 effectively put the match beyond the Philippines' reach.
Korea will now move to the Chilean capital of Santiago for its quarterfinal against Turkey, the runner-up at last year's European championship. The match is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday. Turkey is ranked No. 7in the FIVB under-17 rankings, five places above No. 12 Korea.
"There are no easy teams in the knockout stage. Our initial goal was to reach the quarterfinals, but we've now raised it to the semifinals," head coach Lee said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
