China looking ominous at start of World Championships year
05/31/2006
Beilun, China, May 28, 2006 -- China swept Cuba 3-0 on Sunday evening to win the Beilun Cup China International Women's Volleyball Tournament with an unbeaten record in China's second largest port city of Beilun.
The Chinese women beat Cuba 25-23, 25-20, 25-16 for their third straight victory in the four-team round-robin competition. Cuba took second place with two wins against one loss, followed by the Netherlands and Russia in third and fourth respectively.
"It is the best game we played at this tournament," said Chinese head coach Chen Zhonghe. "I am satisfied with the fact that our players played consistently and we had better attack and made fewer unforced errors."
China conceded only eight points through errors, compared with 30 in Saturday's 3-1 win over Russia and 33 in Friday's 3-2 victory over the Netherlands.
Veteran spiker Yang Hao led the Chinese attack with 14 points while Wang Yimei and Zhou Suhong added 10 and nine respectively.
"Facing the best team in the world we made too many errors and failed to keep our concentration through the match," said Cuba head coach Felipe Calderon. China reaped 27 points from Cuba's errors.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Netherlands beat Russia 25-20, 25-19, 29-27 to win the third place.
"The win was very important for us, because we played well in the first two matches, but did not win," said the Netherlands' head coach, Avital Selinger.
"I am content with the fact that we played consistently today."
Russia, who sent a second-string team to the four-nation round-robin tournament, placed fourth after three consecutive losses.
"I am disappointed just for the last set, because to win one set could be satisfactory for us," said Russia's Italian head coach, Caprara Giovanni.
"However, we did not do well enough in attack in the last few points, but I am OK with the result because we are here to improve and to solve our problems."
The four teams are going to Beijing to compete in the second leg of the International Women's Volleyball Tournament from June 1 to 3.
China's No. 4, Liu Yanan, in action against the Netherlands earlier in the tournament.
