Gresik, East Java, Indonesia, June 23, 2023 – Australia took their first taste of victory in the 2023 AVC Challenge Cup for Women via a 3-1 match (25-18, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20) in Pool E against Philippines at the Tri Dharma Petrokimia Gresik Gymnasium.
Both teams split their matches in the Classification round, but Friday evening’s win will potentially place Australia in a higher position, gaining the full three points ahead of the semi-finals.
Opposite Emma Burton led the charge with 27 points, with Ella Schabort (16 points) and Caitlin Whincup (12 points) likewise assisting with double-digits in the victory.
The Australian side prepared well for the match, indicating that they wanted to impose pressure with their blocking. They, indeed, performed well in the first line of defense, converting with a total of 11 blocks.
The Philippines tried to break through, as Faith Nisperos and Shaya Adorador powered the offense from the flank. They delivered 17 points and 16 points respectively.
Australia firmed up and mastered the required timing to line up their blocks and prevent any real comeback from their opponents. The winning team surged forth with their momentum, as their opponents were starting to suffer from miscues in highly crucial moments.
Australia had their share of mistakes as well, but captain Mikaela Stevens could see well beyond the error count.
“We have a very young team here so a lot of the girls have not had that feeling or opportunity to win. For us it’s about learning how to win and learning how to fight for every point every time we step into the court. That was a big thing for us,” said Australian captain Stevens.
Australia coach Russell Borgeaud pondered into the bigger picture involving the team’s victory.
“Our goal is to keep improving as we keep playing or training. I think that showed tonight,” he said.
“As we have a young team, it could be a long way to right where we want to go, so little steps like these matter,’ Borgeaud added.
Australia and Philippines now await the results of the other Pool E between hosts Indonesia and India (in progress) in order to determine their match-ups for the semi-finals on Saturday.
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