Brazil continue winning streak with five-set victory over Italy
Sarina Koga in attack against China in front of full house in Macao
After starting the women’s 2024 Volleyball Nations League second competition week with a narrow defeat at the hands of Brazil, Japan got back on the winning track for the remaining three matches in Macao. They finished the week off with important four-set victories over Asian rivals China and the Dominican Republic, gaining 13.51 FIVB World Ranking points towards the race for Paris 2024 Olympic tickets.
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Friday’s Asian classic against hosts China ended with a score of 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-18, 25-17) Japan’s way. Outside hitter and captain Sarina Koga was on fire, leading the time with 25 points, all in attack kills. Her cross-court teammate Arisa Inoue, who subbed in for Mayu Ishikawa during the second set, added another 18 points, while opposite Kotona Hayashi finished with 13 points. Outside Li Yingying was China’s most prolific player with 23 points, including three aces. Middle blocker and captain Yuan Xinyue and outside Wu Mengjie also reached the double digits with 10 points apiece.
On Saturday, Japan delivered a hard-fought 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23) victory over Paris-bound Dominican Republic, with Koga once again leading the team’s scorers. This time, she put away 19 points, again all in offence. Hayashi and Ishikawa finished with 15 points each, while middle blocker Nichika Yamada added another 10, four of which in stuff blocks. Dominican opposite Gaila Gonzalez-Lopez hammered out the match high of 25 points, supported by outsides Madeline Guillen and Yonkaira Pena Isabel with 16 points apiece.
With this, Japan improved to a 6-2 win-loss record and 18 points, occupying third place in the current VNL standings, below undefeated Poland and Brazil.
“Winning over China yesterday meant gaining a lot of points towards the ranking, but losing today would have meant dropping a lot of points. So winning today was definitely very important. We tried to stay focused and managed to win again,” Sarina Koga told Volleyball World after the game against the Dominican Republic.
The Queens of the Caribbean failed to win any matches in Macao and finished their competition week on 2-6 and 6 points in 11th place.
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