| Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, November 17, 2001 |
China Beats Japan 3-0 at World Grand Champions Cup |
|
China was on its way to the first world title in the Grand Champion Cup for the newly-formed team after edging Friday off host nation Japan 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-21) in the 2001 World Grand Champions Cup women's event at the Marine Messe Fukuoka.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
China was on its way to the first world title in the Grand Champion Cup for the newly-formed team after edging Friday off host nation Japan 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-21) in the 2001 World Grand Champions Cup women's event at the Marine Messe Fukuoka.
China now tops the six-team standings with a perfect record of three wins, overtaking Japan (2-1) and holding a clearing leading margin over title-holder Russia (1-2) and world Grand Prix champion the United States (1-2).
China is just one step to the trophy as the Asian champion could claim the championship if it beats the bottom team of South Korea (1-2) and Japan loses to Russia on Saturday.
"We did a great job on block, which we won by 16 to 2," said Chinese head coach Chen Zhonghe, who has his first spell in the national team as the manager.
"The main reason for the loss is we didn't play our defense," Japanese head coach Masahiro Yoshikawa said. "China made it through by concentrating on severing and blocking."
With combined efforts of Zhao Ruirui and Yang Hao, China opened the game at 7-1 before Japan clawed back to tie it at 16-16. Chen Jing claimed the set for China with a strike on a second touch.
The second set was a reverse version of the story as the two sides stalemating for a while before China broke away after 12 to all for an identical result.
China scored six straight points down the stretch to take an unsinkable lead at 24-20 and steered all the way to another 25-21 win in the third set.
"We ran for a good start at the beginning of the match, which is very important to have the players calmed down before the partisan local fans," Chen said.
"It will be the first world-wide title for the past six years for China if we win here," he added.
China's captain Feng Kun said, "We were fully award of the difficulties to play against Japan here and made good preparation for the match."
"The Japanese team received much more pressure after winning the first two matches, so it just didn't display its best tonight, " she said.
Chikako Kumamae, captain of the Japanese, said, "We were too slow to catch up with the Chinese pace, while the disadvantage of height is also a big reason for the loss."
The United States and Brazil took the first taste of victory as the U.S. won the first game of the day by slashing Russia 3-1 (18- 25, 25-22, 25-20, 29-27), while Brazil routed South Korea 3-0 (25- 21, 25-14, 25-15) in earlier matches.
After a lack-luster first set, which they were down 18-25, the Americans picked up their attacking power on Danielle Scott and Sarah Noriega to take the upper hand, winning the following two sets, 25-22 and 25-20.
Toshiaki Yoshida, head coach of the U.S. said: "We know how good Gamova's shots are, but we didn't change our strategy though she did really well in the first set. I just told my players not be afraid of block on her." Gamova had a game-high 24 points.
"We don't play as well as we did in the Grand Prix, but I think my players will gain confidence from today's win."
Russian head coach Nikolai Karpol said : "It's a close game, unfortunately we lost it."
The wild card Koreans, who never finished within the top three in the world level competitions for years, made up some challenge with well-organized defense only in the first set, which they lost 25-21, before fading away.
Korean head coach Kim Cheol-yong attributed the defeat to the loss of two injured starters, setter Kim Sa-nee and center-blocker Lee Yun-hui.
Brazil's captain Virna Cristine Dias said, "Today we played the best match so far in the tournament. I hope we could keep on and win again."
"Everything just went well today and we avoided losing easy points on mistakes," said Brazil's head coach Marco Aurelio Motta.
Brazil will meet the U.S. on Saturday's second match after Japan-Russia match, with China to take on South Korea at night.
|
|
|
|