Evergrande spike Iranians in Asian Club C'ships opener
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Guangdong Evergrande of China, coached by volleyball legend Lang Ping, annihilated underdogs Giti Pasand of Iran in straight sets 25-5 25-14 25-17 in the opening match of the 14th Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship.
Evergrande, who captured the China League last year but dropped to second this season, came on strong in their first Asian women’s club meet. Aside from two national Chinese players, the team boasts three foreign spikers – powerful Polish attacker Skowronska Dorota, Carolina Del Pilar from Italy and American Kimberly Glass. Evergrande also fielded the 195cm Xu Yunli, the tournament’s tallest player.
“We started this tournament quite well, but there were air currents [from gigantic mobile air-conditioners installed at the four corners of the court] in the third set, which upset our serving and hitting. I think the Iranians attacked well in the third set. However, I’m happy with the first win for my team,” said Lang Ping, who will become the head coach of the Chinese women’s volleyball team at the end of this tournament.
Lang is a former Chinese national team player and ex-head coach of the United States women’s team. In 2002, she became an inductee of the Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, Massachusetts. She coached the US national team to a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in her home country.
“We had never played Iran before, but as far as I’m concerned, they played well,” said Lang.
“I don’t want to set any targets as it’s just the beginning of the tournament. I have yet to see the other teams’ performances. Therefore, we would just like to do our best one game at a time.
“My team finished second in the China League this season, but we replaced Tianjin Bridgestones in this tournament as we had a deal that we would represent China this year while they will join the competition next year,” she added.
In the second match, Kazakhstan’s Zhetyssu struggled to beat Taiwan’s Taipei in four hard-fought sets 25-13 25-18 17-27 25-23. Thailand’s Idea Khonkaen were due to take on hosts Vietnam’s Lienviet Postbank in the curtain-raisers at 7 last night.
Eight teams, including clubs from Thailand, China, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea, are taking part in the Asian Women’s Club Championship. The winning team will make the cut for the FIVB World Club Championship in Switzerland in October.
