Jiangmen, China, July 4, 2024 – New Zealand recovered from the first-set setback to beat Hong Kong, China in dramatic four sets 12-25, 25-14, 31-29, 25-23 to next fight for the 9th position against Iran in the 22nd Asian Women’s U20 Volleyball Championship at the Jiangmen Sports Center Gymnasium here on Thursday.
Outside hitter Emma Mason delivered a match-high 18 points from 15 kills, 2 blocks and one ace for New Zealand, while Pippa Henderson and Kiana Stevenson contributed 12 points apiece for the victory. Outside hitter Tang Sum Yuen led Hong Kong, China with 16 points, all in attack.
Hong Kong, China made a strong start to take an early 7-2 lead before widening it with a 11-point advantage at 20-9, thanks to fine attacks from Tang Sum Yuen and the 185cm-tall Lee Wai Ching’s fast spikes. The Kiwis tried hard to come back, but they suffered from poor reception, while Hong Kong, China also defended well to foil the rivals’ attempts. Leading commandingly 23-11, they allowed the Kiwis only one more point to wrap up the one-sided set 25-12.
Conceding one set, the Kiwis fought back hard in the same fashion, with Pippa Henderson and Charlie Vail blocking for everything and Emma Mason and Vail unleashing some good shots to race to an initial 9-1 lead and extended it with a 11-point clear at 17-6. Hong Kong, China regrouped and hit back bravely, but their determined attempts were to no avail as the Kiwis went on their attack to win the comfortable set 25-14.
Hong Kong, China started well in the third set to lead 5-1 before New Zealand counter-attacked to catch them at 8-8 and from then on, leads started changing hands for several times. A spike from Tang Sum Yuen went out wide, bringing the Kiwis to set point 24-23, but they let the win slip through their fingers. Hong Kong, China came back, caught them at 24-24 and went ahead 26-25. After that, leads still swung back and forth until 29-29 before the Kiwis scored two points in succession to capture the hard-fought set 31-29.
The fourth set turned out to be more competitive as both sides gave it all out to win the set. Hong Kong, China led initially 7-4 but their counter-attack was not so good, while the Kiwis defended spectacularly in crucial moments and they roared back with attacks and solid block to catch the opponents at 15-15 and again 18-18. From then on, both sides traded points, but the Kiwis fared better to stay in front with two points behind 24-22. Hong Kong, China did not give up and scored one more point from Tang Sum Yeun’s attack before Charlie Vail hit a shot that went without returning. New Zealand captured the set 25-23 and match.
As New Zealand will go up against Iran in the 9th-10th place playoff on July 5, Hong Kong, China will battle it out with Australia to fight for the 11th position.
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