India's KSEB no match for Kazakhs
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India's KSEB continued their losing streak in the Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship at the Nakhon Pathom Municipality Gym yesterday, going down to Zhetyssu of Kazakhstan 25-12 25-11 25-23.
It was the third straight defeat for KSEB, who were drawn in tough Pool B with four-time champions Bohai Bank Tianjin of China, Zhetyssu, Taipei, PLDT of the Philippine and VAS of Singapore.
With two matches remaining in the round-robin phase, the Indian side would still have a chance of advancing as one of the top eight teams. If KSEB win their next match, it’s quite certain that they will finish fifth or sixth in Pool B and get to fight it out in the classification round for 9th-10th places.
The Indians yesterday got off to a poor start. They made many mistakes with poor reception, leaving the Kazakhs, who had the height advantage of 184cm against KSEB’s 175cm, to take the first two games effortlessly 25-12 25-11.
The Indians regained their composure and form in the third game and fought for every point. Their determination paid off as they led 18-16. However, the Kazakhs hit back strongly to catch up with their small-built rivals at 20-20 and stormed on to win the hard-fought set 25-23 and the match.
Elsewhere, Tianjin crushed VAS in a completely one-sided battle 25-8 25-5 25-12 and Taipei outclassed PLDT in straight sets 25-15 25-12 25-11. Japan’s Hisamitsu Springs were due to take on Iran’s Matin Varamin later in the last match of the day.
Today, PLDT take on Zhetyssu, Singapore’s VAS play KSEB, Taipei challenge Bohai Bank Tianjin, with Thailand’s Nakhonratchasima will be pitted against Vietnam’s Thong Tin Lietvietpostbank.
