Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, September 1, 2023 – Hosts Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and China brushed off their unfancied rivals to respectively top Pools A, B, C and D following conclusion of the pool round-robin preliminaries of the 22nd Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship at Chartchai Hall and MCC Hall inside The Mall Korat Department Store on Friday.
Thailand, which captured the Asian title twice in 2009 and 2013 to their name, finished atop Pool A with 6 points from two straight wins. Australia came in second place with 3 points from one win against one loss and Mongolia lost both preliminary matches to come in third place with no point earned.
On Friday, Thailand shuffled their lineup in their last preliminary encounter against Mongolia to allow their players chances to sharpen their skills and find the right formula in preparing their team for tougher games in this topflight championship in the upcoming days.
In the first set, Thailand head coach Danai Sriwacharamaytakul fielded the starting lineup spearheaded by Ajcharaporn Kongyot, Pimpichaya Kokram and Hattaya Bamrungsuk, but replaced them with another six players in the second set and those who competed in the first set got back into the competition court in the third set.
Thailand proved too hot for Mongolia to handle as the world No.15 breezed past the underdogs in a completely one-sided battle 25-12, 25-7, 25-11 in just 58 minutes.
Star spiker Chatchu-On Moksri chipped in with 11 points from 2 attacks and spectacular 9 aces, 8 of which came in the Thailand’s first 15 points in the opening set. Pimpichaya Kokram and Wipawee Srithong kept good company to add another 10 and 9 points respectively. Thailand limited the rivals’ offense to the point that no Mongolian player got to reach double digits in scoring against them. Opposite hitter Ganbold Enkhnaran led Mongolia with 6 points including 5 attacks from 21 attempts.
World No.8 Japan, which had claimed five Asian titles including the previous two editions in 2019 and 2017 (2021 edition was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic), topped Pool B with 6 points from two wins in succession, followed by India with 3 points from one win against one loss and winless Iran with no point awarded.
In their last preliminary clash against India on Friday, Japan fielded middle blocker and skipper Haruyo Shimamura, libero Manami Kojima and middle blocker Mami Yokota, three of them competed at this year’s Volleyball Nations League…
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