A boisterous Ahoy Arena that was filled to capacity in Rotterdam wasn't enough to overawe China as the Asian behemoth outclassed tournament co-hosts, the Netherlands in a five-set thriller to put themselves in the driver's seat for a quarterfinal spot in the Volleyball Women's World Championship. 

This crucial victory owed more to character than quality. Unlike Avital Selinger's valorous but brittle side, China had a tranquil edge. The Rio Olympic champions overcame a slow start and wrested back control of the proceedings despite losing the first set.  

China quickly built up a solid lead in the feisty encounter after claiming two successive sets in ruthless fashion, before the Dutch leveled the tie by coming out on top in the fourth set. The visitors kept going and their reward arrived when outside hitter Li Yingying landed several electrifying kills to seal the decider and had the last laugh.

In a much-anticipated showdown that brought a great deal of twist and turns, it was hard to take your eyes off the court. And it was another productive night for the 22-year-old Li, who showcased her all-round abilities by producing an incredible 23 points, with 20 kills, two blocks and one ace.  

Wang Yunlu and Yang Hanyu also reached double digits in scoring with the former registering 14 points and the latter adding another 13. Team captain Yuan Xinyue, led by being a calming presence throughout, contributed 12 points, nine kills and three blocks. 

While China coach Cai Bin will be concerned about his team's defensive frailties, he can take satisfaction from the defiance the players displayed when it seemed that a vital win had slipped from their grasp.

"It was a very exciting match," observed Diao Linyu, who dished out a bunch of supreme blocks when the going got tough for China. "Our teamwork was really important for us to win the match at the end. We're used to training with each other, so it wasn't difficult for me to decide what to do in the most important moments of the match." 

The victory moves China on to 17 points, and just two adrift of pool leaders Italy. Brazil also had 17 points after securing a comfortable 3-0 win over Puerto Rico earlier in the day, but the South American giants could only sit behind China in third place due to a lower set ratio. 

On Saturday, China will look to maintain their fine form when they take on Italy, while Brazil and the Netherlands will lock horns with each other in another eagerly awaited tie.