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China overcome Cuba for Int'l title at women's volleyball
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-06-04 10:38
Olympic and World Cup double champions China came back from one set down to
beat Cuba 3-1 on Friday in Dalian to claim the title of the PetroChina KunLun
Cup China International Women's Volleyball Tournament.
The host team were taken one and a half hours to wrap up the fifth straight
victories at the seven-team tournament 22-25, 26-24, 25-16, 25-20.
Chen Zhonghe, head coach of Chinese women's volleyball,
smiles after the hosts beat Cuba 3-1 on Friday in Dalian to claim the
title of the PetroChina KunLun Cup China International Women's Volleyball
Tournament. [Xinhua] | Xue Ming, 18, together with
Olympian Yang Hao, had the match- winning block at the middle of the net after a
powerful spike and an ace from Chu Jinling helped China hold four match points
on 24- 20.
The 21-year-old Chu Jinling had 17 points to lead China on 14 hits, a block
and two aces, while Yang Hao gained 15 points, and Zhang Ping and Liu Yanan
added 12 and 10 respectively. Wang Yimei, 17, and Ma Yunwen, 18, didnot spark as
they were in the last three games, but still had six points apiece.
Chinese women's volleyball players celebrate on the stand
after winning the PetroChina KunLun Cup China International Women's
Volleyball Tournament in Dalian, on Friday, June 3,
2005.[Xinhua] | China recruited several young
players after winning the gold medal at the Athens Olympic Games and Ma Yunwen,
Xue Ming, Wang Ting and Zhao Yun were just taking part in their second
international competition here in the five-day tourney.
![Chinese women's volleyball players celebrate on the stand after winning the PetroChina KunLun Cup China International Women's Volleyball Tournament in Dalian, on Friday, June 3, 2005.[Xinhua]](xin_550602041038414504617.jpg)
Chinese women's volleyball players celebrate
on the stand after winning the PetroChina KunLun Cup China International
Women's Volleyball Tournament in Dalian, on Friday, June 3,
2005.[Xinhua] | "There are some newcomers to our
team, and it's reasonable for them to make errors a little bit more," said Chen
Zhonghe, head coach of Chinese women's volleyball. "Problems with our young
squad are mainly about serving and receiving, while there're also some leaks on
the defense."
After looking sluggish and losing the opening set without any efficient
block, China evened the match with a second set rally.
Trailing 9-5 after Charro Yaima Ortiz served an ace for Cuba, the Chinese
women gradually found their tune with a timeout called by head coach Chen,
launched some excellent offense with a sequence involving their key
youngster Ma Yunwen and managed a first tie on 14-14.
Cuba ran 6-2 to take again the lead 19-16, but China wound up to tie the
scores twice before claiming the last two points of the set by forcing a hitting
error from Cuba's star winger Luaces Yumilka Ruiz as well as a violation of the
rules during the opponent's defence.
The Cuba side, whose Olympic winning streak was snapped by China in last
August's Games in Athens, returned to the court with apparent panic after
leveled 1-1, allowed China to take a 5-1 lead in the third set and seemed never
recovered before easily losing 25-16.
China, however, kept its unstopped scoring vein in the fourth set. Backed on
a 8-2 run at the right beginning of the set, the host team, who took their first
world title in 17 years at the 2003 World Cup in Japan and then continued to
claim the Olympic gold medal in 2004, held on to win the last set 25-20.
"Fortunate for us that we found our rhythm after losing the first set," said
Chen. "In the first two sets, we nearly built successful blocks and only had
three chances to beat back."
"I don't think China performed badly in the first set, but they played better
and better," responded Cuban head coach Blet Luis Calderon. "China's performance
in the last five matches were same good, and that's why they claimed the title."
"Cuba were not prepared well for the final and got exhausted following the
two tournament here and last week at Beilun, while China is a strong opponent at
any time," he added.
The Netherlands rallied to beat Japan 3-2 earlier on Friday for the bronze
medal.
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