Tokyo, November 5, 2006: Japan will head for the second round in Nagoya in good spirits after recording a fourth straight win in Pool A, downing Poland 3-1 on Sunday evening.

The host nation and world No. 7 improved their win-loss record to 4-1 with a hard-fought 25-22, 30-28, 26-28, 25-18 victory, dropping ninth-ranked Poland to 3-2 for the five games. Japan clinched second place in Pool A, behind Chinese Taipei (5-0).

Poland finished third after this second straight loss, ahead of Korea, who filled the fourth qualifying place from the six-team group. Costa Rica and Kenya were eliminated.

The Polish block went to work early, and helped the Europeans lead 8-6 at the first TTO.

The mobile 1.91-metre frame of Maria Liktoras was busy across the net, and Katarzyna Skowronska was quick to punish anything loose as Poland settled quickly.

The elegant leaps of Saori Kimura, playing around the high-speed setting of Yoshie Takeshita and decoy runs of her teammates, was Japan's path to success, and they were able to move ahead 13-12 and force a Polish TO. Miyuki Takahashi and Shuka Oyama now began to find their shooting range, and Japan increased their advantage to 17-13.

Poland's excellent blocking enabled them to pull level 19-19, and when a Liktoras serve dropped in front of libero Kaoru Sugayama, the visitors led 20-19.

Inevitably it was Takahashi rising on the left and spiking fiercely that moved Japan within reach of the first set, and Kimura brought up set point at 24-21. Natalia Bamber saved one with a thumping drive on the right, but a Sachiko Sugiyama block ended the set 25-22.

In the second set, Milena Rosner out wide, Anna Podolec down the middle and setter Izabela Belcik at the net all gave Japan plenty to think about as Poland reached the first technical break ahead by two points.

A Bamber block on Erika Araki further highlighted the Poles' resurgence, and Japan needed a TO trailing 12-9.

The one consistent thing about Poland, though, is their inconsistency, even in the shortest of time spans, and some loose play handed the initiative back to Japan. Incredible defence followed by an off-balance overhead set from Takeshita supplied another bullet for a rampant Takahashi to fire, and Japan were back in business at 16-13.

The Poles were unable to tame Takahashi, and as the defence spread to prepare for another thunderbolt, she tipped one over the net into a big space. Shortly after she served as the decoy runner for Sugiyama to smash home on the right.

From the back court, Podolec battered away at the Japanese defence and eventually found a way through, and service errors from Japan enabled Poland to come back to 21-21 and then go ahead by two with more blocking.

Takahashi and Kimura pulled it back to 23-23 and forced a Poland TO, only for Podolec to bring up set point with a thundering winner from the left. Takahashi saved it effortlessly.

Poland would miss three further set points (four in all) before Japan, with inspired defence from Takeshita and net play from Araki, won the 34-minute second frame 30-28 on their second set point with a Takahashi sizzler on the left.

Apart from a smash at the net from Sylwia Pycia, the Poles looked sluggish in the third set, and coach Ireneusz Klos took them off when they could not deal with a Kimura serve and fell behind 5-2. Two points later he called his second and last TO of the third set to try and shake them out of their lethargy.

Even though the Polish block came to the rescue again, Japan's attacks were swift and relentless, and Sugiyama swooped in trademark fashion to give her team a five-point cushion at the second TTO, 16-11.

It was a tall task for the Poles to come back, but they are a tall team and did just that. Podolec was outstanding down the stretch with some mighty winners under pressure, but Poland could not close out the third set 28-26 until their fifth set point when Araki spiked wide.

Japan were determined not to let the match slip away, and led 6-2 to force a Polish TO. A Kimura ace made it 8-2 at the first TTO, and the Poles would need another big effort to get back into it. Rosner ended Japan's five-point run, and the block pressured Oyama into attacking errors as Japan's lead shrivelled.

A terrific block by Araki on Liktoras seemed to turn the tide again, and Japan were in a position to kill the match when leading 16-11 at the second TTO. Podolec and Liktoras found some big winners, but Japan had more rhythm with Takahashi and Oyama out wide.

Araki brought victory closer at 23-17, and Oyama set up match point when her smash crept through. Kimura finished it 25-18.