Chinese Taipei attacks Korea in their straight-set win
Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, June 17, 2024 – Reigning champions Japan, China and Thailand got their campaigns in the 15th Asian Women’s U18 Volleyball Championship off to brilliant starts with convincing straight-set wins against their respective opponents, as Chinese Taipei pulled off upset 3-0 win against Korea and Australia sealed first victory on Monday.
The topflight championship, which started the pool round-robin preliminaries on Sunday at Nakhon Pathom Gymnasium here and Ratchaburi Gymnasium in Ratchburi Province, with both competition sites being located apart with a distance of 42km, serves as the Asian qualification to see top four teams in Nakhon Pathom qualify for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U19 World Championship.
On Monday, three strong teams made their presence felt in their campaign openers of the eight-day championship. Japan, defending and nine times champions, handed Iran the first loss following 3-0 rout (25-17, 25-19, 25-17) of the rivals in Pool B, while formidable China, former four-time winners, crushed Kazakhstan in comfortable straight sets 25-9, 25-7, 25-16 in Pool C and hosts Thailand showed no mercy to Macao, China to overpower the visitors in a completely lopsided battle 25-7, 25-11, 25-13 in Pool A.
In Pool D, Australia, which succumbed to 1-3 defeat at the hands of Korea in their opening match, overcame a strong challenge from India to beat the determined rivals in hard-fought four-setter 25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, while Chinese Taipei, which defeated India in straight sets on Sunday, made it two on the trot after stunning Korea, bronze medallists at the previous edition at the same venue here two years ago, in straight sets 25-21, 25-12, 25-16.
At Nakhon Pathom Gymnasium on Monday, Australia were delighted as they opened up the second day with their first win against India in Pool D. Fielding a strong lineup led by opposite Lara Maric and outside hitter Hilary Hannagan, both of whom led the team with 11 points apiece in the previous match against Korea, the Aussies made a good start to take the first set 25-20, thanks to powerful attacks from Maric and the 185cm-tall Chelsea Cocks.
India clawed their way back to clinch the hard-fought second set 25-22, utilizing great attacks from middle blocker Mahak Singh and outside hitter Prathiba Sri Ganesan, but Australia upped their tempo and bounced back with attacks and effective blocks from Cocks and Anni…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Asian Volleyball Confederation…