Jiangmen, China, July 6, 2024 – Japan lived as much as their billing, because the defending champions stopped the Korea’s outstanding unbeaten run with dramatic 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-17, 25-20) win towards the decided opponents to prime Pool F within the final 8 stage of the twenty second Asian Girls’s U20 Volleyball Championship on the Jiangmen Sports activities Heart Gymnasium right here on Saturday.
Outdoors hitter Miku Akimoto scored a match-high 33 factors from 26 kills, 5 blocks and a couple of aces for Japan, whereas fellow exterior hitters Anna Uemura and Sae Omori stored good firm to contribute 17 and 15 factors respectively. Center blocker Lee Jiyun chipped in 17 factors together with 14 assaults from 35 makes an attempt on the Korea’s loss.
Japan and Korea remained unbeaten forward of their confrontation on this match, but it surely appeared Japan got here up in full pressure, fielding a robust lineup led by the 168cm-tall Anna Uemura, who performed within the gold-winning Japan crew on the earlier version in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan two years in the past and landed the Finest Outdoors Hitter and MVP awards to her identify. The crew have been additionally sturdy of their offensive system, orchestrated by the 185cm-tall Miku Akimoto and highly effective Sae Omori. Korea additionally had formidable gamers in center blocker and skipper Kim Sebeen, exterior hitters Lee Jua and Shin Eunji.
Uemura led the Japan’s offense along with her highly effective assaults and terrific bounce serves which helped the crew take an preliminary 9-7 lead earlier than they broke away with 4 straight factors, due to Omori’s spectacular spikes on the internet. After that, Japan fully dominated the sport. Korea upped their tempo, however couldn’t cope effectively with the Japan’s unbelievable pace and energy and glorious mixture assaults. Akimoto fired an off-speed kill to carry Japan to set level 24-17, however Lee Jiyun saved the day for Korea along with her quick spike. Nonetheless, Korea’s fightback was short-lived when Akimoto got here from behind to assault devastatingly for the primary set win 25-18.
The second set was extra aggressive as either side did their finest with efforts of initially gaining management. Japan’s consistency and spectacular show made the distinction after they narrowly led 14-13 and prolonged it to 21-18, profiting from their highly effective assaults from Uemura, Omori and Akimoto. Korea bounced again closely, with the 188cm Lee Jiyun unleashing dazzling front-row assaults to assist the crew catch up at 22-22 and went on for comeback 25-23 win within the set.
Conceding one set, Japan pulled their sport collectively, with Uemura, Omori and Akimoto taking part in key roles of their offense. Main 15-11, Japan widened the hole to 20-15, mixing their distinctive assaults from Uemura and Omori and environment friendly blocks by Akimoto and Ito Ichiyo. Akimoto delivered the set level to Japan along with her lethal cross-court assault, however Lee Jua saved one for Korea after pulsating lengthy rally. Uemura closed out the set for Japan along with her off-the-block kill. Japan clinched the set 25-17.
Within the fourth set, Japan remained on their stable efficiency, however Korea battled again exhausting, hoping to make amends for the third-set loss and a profitable comeback on this set. They caught the powerful rivals at 11-11 and once more 19-19, however Japan stayed targeted and went on their assaults to win the thrilling set 25-20 and match.
Win or loss, either side have already secured their berths within the semifinals, however following this nice win, Japan emerged because the Pool F winners and within the semifinals, they’ll tackle the losers within the later match between China and Thailand, which is able to determine the Pool E winners.
“From the very first set, it was a really powerful match for us. Meaning it’s not simple sport for us. Nonetheless, after a 1-1 tie, we recovered and switched our mindset to profitable the subsequent set. In opposition to Korea, it’s a troublesome match for us and so, beating them 3-1 is one thing we had anticipated from the start. After this, it’s probably that we could tackle Thailand within the semifinals. Any sport will come and for us, we stay follow our preliminary goal – do our greatest. For our win as we speak, the important thing to our success is our libero Inoue Rinka. She performed fairly effectively not solely in dig, but in addition obtain and ball passing,” Japan head coach Hiroyuki Yamaguchi commented after the match.
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The submit AKIMOTO FIRES 33 TO LIFT JAPAN’S 3-1 WIN AGAINST KOREA TO TOP POOL F IN 22ND ASIAN WOMEN’S U20 CHAMPIONSHIP appeared first on Asian Volleyball Confederation.
