On the afternoon of April 3, the finals of the Wuhan University 2025 "Torch Cup" Student Volleyball Competition grandly commenced at the Zhuor Gymnasium. After days of intense competition, our school's women's volleyball team clinched the championship with outstanding performance, successfully defending their title. Team member Huang Jing was awarded the "Most Valuable Player" title, and Li Jiayue was recognized as the "Best Middle Blocker." The men's volleyball team fought valiantly, securing fifth place, a significant improvement from last year's seventh place. Vice President Song Baoliang and leaders from relevant university functional departments attended the matches and presented awards to the winning teams and players. Li Qin, Party Secretary of our school, and Deputy Party Secretaries Wang Siming and Liu Shanshan were present to cheer for the players.
As a traditional event with a history of over forty years at the university, this year's "Torch Cup" attracted 28 men's teams and 32 women's teams, featuring more than 200 intense matches over 18 days. Our school's women's volleyball team did not have a smooth journey in this year's "Torch Cup," losing to the School of Geodesy and Geomatics and the School of International Education in the group stage and advancing to the knockout stage as the third-ranked team in their group. Facing adversity, they quickly adjusted their tactics, successively defeating strong opponents like the School of Journalism and Communication and the School of Chinese Language and Literature, ultimately meeting the School of Electronic Information in the finals.
In the final match, our women's team performed exceptionally well with seamless coordination. Confronting the strong attacks from the opposing middle blockers, who leveraged their height advantage, and a formidable defense line repeatedly fortified by precise saves from the libero, our players remained composed. They broke the deadlock with solid tactical coordination, disrupted the opponent's first pass with accurate serves, tore through the opponent's defense with fierce attacks, and steadfastly held their ground with an iron-wall-like defense. During the constant shifts between offense and defense, the players demonstrated tenacious fighting spirit and excellent teamwork. After four hard-fought sets, they ultimately defeated their opponent 3-1, claiming the championship with absolute strength.
Our school's men's volleyball team also displayed remarkable tenacity. They staged multiple comebacks during the group and knockout stages, ultimately achieving a commendable fifth place. This result marks a significant improvement compared to last year's seventh place, fully demonstrating the relentless and enterprising spirit of our men's volleyball players.
Our school has always placed high importance on the all-around development of students, consistently treating sports competitions as an important vehicle for the "integration of the five educations," guiding students to comprehend collaboration, responsibility, and commitment through competition. In the future, the school will build more educational platforms that forge character and foster unity, enabling more students to grow by challenging themselves and pushing their limits, empowering them to shoulder the mission of the times with strong physiques and high spirits.
(Contributor: Yuan Qi Photographers: Tang Yuefeng, Hu Xinyan)
