China hold off Dutch for win in final of China International Women’s Volleyball Tournament
The Final of the China International Women’s Volleyball Tournament between China and the Netherlands was held on Monday, May 29, as the hosts whitewashed the visiting team in straight sets. The scoreboard showed the final score of 3-0 (25-19, 25-7, and 25-21), as the Chinese women walked away with the title of the China International Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
The 2011 China International Women’s Volleyball Tournament rounded off in China, in the city of Zhoushan which accommodated the teams, who had come from different parts of the world. The home team took full advantage of the support of fans and put up a valiant effort. They demonstrated stellar performance and clawed their way to the final showdown of the tournament. On the other hand, the visiting team from the Netherlands did equally well in the opening stages of the tournament and made their place in the final.
The better attack and defence of China allowed them to overcome every team they met. The home squad set a perfect record and finished the campaign with absolute success. They came across teams from Dominican Republic and Cuba in the previous matches but nothing could stop them from reaching the top. China remained un-beaten and did not drop a single set.
First set
The Chinese ladies entered the court with firm determination to clinch success. The home soil had benefitted them in all previous matches and they seemed sure of staging another flawless performance. The match started out with powerful jump-serves from both sides. Team China was equipped with all the necessary tools to influence their opponents and earned better stats. The commanding serves and aces of Yang Junjing created a lot of trouble for the visitors. Linlin of China didn’t show mercy and came strong on the opponents. She contributed consecutive points and enabled her team to win the first set of the game. Netherland lost the opening set by trailing behind with six points.
Second set
The second set of the game was a total disaster for the Dutch team. The star player of Chinese side, Junjing, restricted the rivals to a low score with solid blocking. She killed almost every attack of the Dutch hitters. China picked up a strong lead of 10-3 and dragged the opposite side under huge pressure. Chinese ladies further tightened their screws as the Netherlands’ team could only gain 7 points in the second set, while the home squad hit the finish line. They successfully extended the lead to 2-0 by posting 25-7 on board, while the Dutch side was in deep trouble.
Third set
The humiliating defeat in second set of the game minimised the chances of a Dutch revival in the game. However, they entered the third set with a change of plan. The whole Dutch team put up a good effort and tried to break the rhythm of the hosts. Their performance improved in third set but still they failed to match-up against with the strong Chinese squad. Third set inched its way to the end, whereas China led the game with a better score. Eventually, the match ended in China’s favour and the hosts secured the title.
The captain of Chinese team, Wei Qiuyue, expressed delight at the home team victory. However, she was of the opinion that they need to improve a lot. She stated: "We had a good tournament, but we should be aware of the fact that the other teams were not in top shape. I think we still have a lot to improve.”
The head coach of the Chinese team, Yu Juemin was totally satisfied with the performance of young squad. He plans to change the line-up for upcoming matches to give younger player a chance.
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