Hong Kong, August 17, 2024 – Li Chenxuan scored a match-high 29 points as China pulled off dramatic 3-2 win against DPR Korea to next battle it out with Japan in the Sunday’s final showdown of the 2024 Asian Eastern Zonal Women’s Volleyball Championship at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium here.
DPR Korea, in their last encounter of the championship on Sunday, will challenge Korea in the third-place playoff clash to vie for the bronze medal, while hosts Hong Kong, China demolished Macau, China in straight sets on Saturday and will next face off against Chinese Taipei for the fifth position. Macau, China and Mongolia will fight for the seventh place.
In the Saturday’s semifinals, even though DPR Korea’s key player Jong Jin-sim scored a team-high 24 points and tied the game twice, China’s skipper Li Chenxuan was in devastating form to tally a game-high 29 points and middle blocker Wang Aoqian also contributed 21 points to help lift the team’s victory.
DPR Korea had the opportunity to score the decisive point first, but China had an outstanding performance with powerful attacks. The Chinese bounced back to capture the decider as well as match 25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 22-25, 18-16 and a final berth.
After the game, Li Chenxuan disclosed that difficulty of this game lied in the unfamiliarity with the opponents’ characteristics. The mutual unity and efforts of her teammates was the key to the China’s triumph in the game.
On Sunday, China set up a rematch with Japan, the team they had lost 2-3 in the group stage, in the final showdown and they are likely to strive to play that game with more determination.
The other semifinal clash saw Japan comfortably defeat Korea in straight sets 25-20, 25-16, 25-19 with their stable defence and offence and successfully advanced to the championship match. Korea will fight it out with DPR Korea in the bronze medal match.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong, China proved a cut above Macau, China in the classification round for 5th-8th places after 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-16) demolition of the lower-ranked rivals.
Although Hong Kong, China made a sluggish start in the match, they adjusted their status in time starting from the middle stages of the game, regained control of the rhythm of the game, and finally won the match. Hong Kong, China will next go up against Chinese Taipei for fifth place.
Chinese Taipei showcased better overall strength to sweep Mongolia 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-15) on Saturday. Mongolia, in their last match on Sunday, will take on Macau, China in the classification round for 7th-8th places.
Asked after the game about the plan for the Sunday’s match against Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, China libero Cheung Hiu Nok replied: “I hope the reception can be done better tomorrow to strengthen the threat of the first attack and thereby weaken the opponents’ counterattack efficiency.”
MATCH RESULTS
SEMIFINALS
China b DPR Korea 3-2 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 22-25, 18-16)
Japan b Korea 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-19)
5TH-8TH PLAYOFFS
Chinese Taipei b Mongolia 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-15)
Hong Kong, China b Macao, China 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-16)
MATCH SCHEDULE
Finals
7th-8th: Mongolia v Macao, China
5th-6th: Chinese Taipei v Hong Kong, China
Bronze-medal match: DPR Korea v Korea
Championship match: Chin av Japan
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