China makes perfect opening in third round of FIVB Grand Prix – Volleyball News
After successfully covering two rounds, the 2011 FIVB Grand Prix entered its third round on Friday, August 19. The Women’s volleyball teams of sixteen countries from the world resumed play in Pool I, J, K, and L classifications. China and Dominican Republic
were placed in Pool I along with teams from Poland and Kazakhstan. The Chinese team worked out a great performance against the Dominicans and grabbed success in the opening match of the third round. They posted a 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, and 25-18) victory over
their opponents while playing at the Hong Kong Coliseum in the presence of local fans. The Chinese top-gun Yang Junjing played a vital role in her team’s victory as she contributed a match-high 19 points.
First set
Teams were returning to the court after a pause of five days. Players had enough time to stretch their muscles and improve on injuries during the recovery time. The energy level of athletes on both sides of the net was high. The first whistle of the referee
started things off and China and Dominican Republic went straight into action. China was quick on the attack while the Dominican Republic side was equally active on returning the shots. China scored four consecutive points and moved ahead while the Dominicans
trailed behind with three points at the first technical timeout, 8-5.
However, the home squad could not keep the lead for long as the Dominicans came up with a strong attack after the break. They played tactfully and went up with a 2-point margin at 12-10. In the meantime, China’s Wang Yimei delivered powerful serves and levelled
the score. Afterwards, the score shifted up with close gap until China claimed first set with 26-24.
Second set
Chinese team kept the momentum in second set and made a strong opening. They picked up an early lead and tried to put pressure on Dominican Republic. The combination of good attack and defence enabled them to dominate the opponents. On the other hand, Dominican
Republic players showed good fighting spirit and continued with their effort to return in the game. China led the scores up to the second technical timeout but then pegged back duo to lack of coordination. The Dominicans were just looking for the opportunity
and they tied the score at 20-all. After the dead-lock, both teams played cautiously. China’s solid blocking made a difference and helped them win the second set with three points, 25-22.
Third set
The rhythm and tone was set for China to go for victory in the third set. They concentrated on the target and kept the operations well under hand. Chinese captain, Wei Qiuyue, stepped up her game and led the scoring. Bethania De La Cruz de Peña of Dominican
Republic also put up a good effort and struggled to put her team back on track. Nonetheless, China closed off the third set with final score of 25-18 and declared match victory.
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