Volleyball Update: Familiar faces in the semi-final of 15th Asian Men’s Jr. Championship (Part 1)
The exciting volleyball campaign in Thailand is slightly moving to its end. The 15th Asian Men’s Junior Volleyball Championship was kicked off on 1st October, 2010 with 17 men’s teams. The championship covered the preliminary robin round and classification round up till Wednesday. The elimination bracket filtered the best teams and promoted them in the quarter final on 7th October, 2010 in Nakhonpathom Sports Hall, Thailand.
After a display of great performance, the following teams paved their way to the quarter final stage:
China
Japan
Thailand
Chinese Taipei
Iran
India
Korea
Qatar
In the first quarter-final combat, the inform China’s team came across underdogs Chinese Taipei. The result was predictable as former three-time winner China was too strong for struggling Chinese Taipei. China crushed Chinese Taipei in straight sets and cruised past to semi-finals on 8th October, 2010.
Likewise, the powerhouse Japan was challenged by the winner of 16th Southeast Asian Champion Thailand in the quarter-final match. Despite having the competitive edge of fresh victory and home-support, Thailand bitterly lost the fight on account of bad-ball reception and frequent unforced mistakes.
Indian team also followed the footsteps of victorious teams and earned a victory over Korea after a gruelling encounter of five-sets. The match was full of thrill and fury as both fought a do-or-die battle but Indian team came out to be better. They won the quarter-final and got a ticket to the semi-final.
The last quarter-final clash brought Iran and Qatar in the Nakhonpathom Sports Hall. The spectacular performance of Iranian team proved their endeavour and they qualified for the semi-final on 7th October, 2010. In the recent memory, Iran won the 3rd Asian Men’s Championship in India and enjoyed good form. The team from Qatar couldn’t stand the pressure and collapsed in three straight sets.
China vs. Chinese Taipei 3-0 (25-19, 27-25, and 25-23)
China has topped the podium of 15th Asian Men’s Junior Championship all the way. The team has maintained a sound run in the tournament. They have driven through every stage with a stellar performance and remained un-beaten. China extended their winning streak by capturing victory against Chinese Taipei.
The first set started with China’s lead as Dai Qingyao hit superb shots and contributed consecutive points in score. The Taipei players struggled with their offensive attack and tried to get recognition. Somehow, China led the first set and claimed first set with a score of 25-19.
After dropping the first set, the Chinese Taipei Team came from the back row attack. They strengthened their defence and formed good combinations to smash the ball in China’s court. On the other side of net, China remained consistent in serving the ball in perfect direction and attacking with power. The score soared up hand in hand for both sides. Finally, Jing zhao put its magic in the game and ended the set at 27-25.
China got the edge of two straight wins but faced a lot of resistance from Chinese Taipei in third set. Chinese top-guns were determined to sideline C. Taipei’s team and reserved the semi-final berth. Chinese Taipei’s team brought out their best on the court but failed to dominate China. The third set ended with a close difference of two points at 25-23, while China captured winner’s spot. China successfully clinched quarter-final victory in the 15th Asian Men’s Junior Championship under the flag of AVC.
Japan vs. Thailand 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, and 25-15)
Japan had a wonderful strategy against home-team Thailand in first set. They developed good chemistry and formed the offensive combination of Kodai Yoshioko and Yamato Fushimi. The Japanese side raised score by hitting devastating spikes coupled with convincing blocks. Thailand could only help faulty shots and power-lacking serves. Japan’s team received huge applause from audience on account of their flawless play. Takashi Dekita was the centre of attention in Japan’s team. He enabled the team to quickly grab first-set victory at 25-20.
Continued..
Tags: