AUSTRALIAS OLYMPIC VOLLEYBALL DREAM ALIVE IN TOKYO
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VOLLEYBALL, June 9, 2012: Australia’s Men’s Indoor Volleyballers are just one win away from qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games after a heart-stopping three sets to one victory over Korea at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium tonight.
The Aussies wrapped up the match after winning the last four points of the game to claim the set 25-20 and take the maximum three points for 3-1 win.
The Jon Uriarte-coached Australians must now repeat the dose and take the maximum three points again when they play China in tomorrow’s final round to secure the Asian place in the 2012 Olympics.
The Aussies raced to a 2-0 lead, winning 25-22 and 25-17, before the gritty Koreans fought back to take the third set 25-23.
Australia, with Aidan Zingel in awesome touch and Nathan Roberts dynamic off the bench, won the fourth set and the match to move into second place (12 points) on the tightly-packed leader board behind Serbia (18) who are secure for one place and a one point buffer over Iran who play hosts Japan tomorrow (11) and China (11).
Zingel top scored with 19 points, while Korea’s top scorer was Choi Hong-Suk with 21. Australia out-blocked Korea 16-12 and out served them 8-3.
A relieved Australian captain Igor Yudin said after the match, that the game against China would be “the biggest game of our lives.”
“Korea was another do-or-die game for his team as it has been the whole tournament,” Yudin said.
“Obviously, I’m very happy to get this win and it was a really tough one, probably the toughest of the tournament, but our Olympic dream is still alive.
When asked about the match against China Yudin said: “We haven’t thought about it. We were just trying to concentrate on our game. For our team, it’s the biggest game of our lives tomorrow, so all the fatigue and tiredness doesn’t matter; you just have to go 100 per cent.
“At the end of the day, whatever happens, happens. But for us, the Olympics is our dream and we are going into the game to try and win and try and achieve our goal.”
Uriarte praised his team and singled out South Australian big hitter Roberts.
“We did quite well in the first two sets, pressing from our strong serve and getting our opportunities on our block and sometimes in transition,” Uriarte said.
“But we didn’t close out all the opportunities we created. Our service was really good in the first couple of sets, but after that we came down a little bit.
“We need to play 100 per cent every time to go forward. We relaxed a little bit. But the contribution of Nathan Roberts was really important to the team. He made a huge contribution with his energy from the bench.”
The fourth set was a tough topsy-turvy encounter with Korea pushing the Australians to the limit.
The Koreans were far from happy at the start of the set with coach Park Ki-Won handed a yellow card after disputing a rotation penalty and the Koreans’ early lead evaporated, with Australian captain Igor Yudin sending down a couple of stinging shots and Zingel an equally powerful service point.
Australia were up 8-5 at the first Technical Time Out (TTO), but the Koreans fought back with a couple of good shots and coach Jon Uriarte called a timeout at 8-7.
Australia only lost the lead once after jumping to an early 6-4 lead and that was only when Korea leveled at 10-all after a great block by Kim Yo-Han on Nathan Roberts.
On nine occasions Australia raced to a three or four point lead but on five occasions the Koreans fought their way back to be just one point behind.
Three poor plays by Korea saw Australia three points clear at 15-12, when Park called another timeout before three excellent Korean blocks brought them back into the set and Uriarte called a timeout with his team ahead 21-20.
It proved to be a master stroke when Roberts came up with two huge hits to give the Australians breathing space 21-20 and the determined Australians, who had fallen to both Serbia and Japan after beating Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Iran, triumphed with two big blocks: Edgar on Kim and Roberts on Choi.
It sealed the match for the brave Australians who will confirm their place in their third Olympic campaign (2000, 2004) if they claim a maximum three points against China.
Korea came into the game in flashes in the first set, but Australia had the upper hand, with Edgar causing them plenty of problems on offence and defence.
Park had to call another timeout at 9-14 as his team struggled to receive well.
The Koreans were six points behind at the second technical timeout and couldn’t find a way back.
Australia lost some concentration toward the end and coach Uriarte called a timeout at 23-20.
Adam White sent a thumper down the middle to bring up four set points before Korea replied with two points, including a stinging shot from Kim Yo-Han.
But Yudin ended the set with a big shot and Australia were 1-0 up.
Korea started off the second set much like the first and Park hauled his players off court after falling from 2-2 to 2-6.
Korea showed their power on occasion – Kim and Choi Hong-Suk landed a couple of good shots – but the Aussies had their tails up, were playing well as a team and deserved their six-point lead at the second TTO.
Park called a timeout at 13-20, but he might as well have called a taxi; his team were going nowhere.
They gifted Australia set point with another error and Yudin again had the honour of finishing the set with another convincing smack down the middle.
Park again called an early timeout early in the third set, but this time it was for dropping a lead rather than falling behind.
After Korea went 5-3 ahead, the Australians took an 8-5 lead at the first TTO on the back of two service aces by Edgar and three stupendous blocks: Aidan Zingel on Kim, Grigory Sukochev on Jeon Kwang-In and Travis Passier on Jeon again.
But then the Koreans started to play, particularly on defence.
Shin Yung-Suk made a fabulous block on the 212-cm Edgar, while Choi started to find his spiking range. When Korea moved ahead after a good hit by Jeon, Uriarte called his players off court for a chat.
Jeon continued hitting well and a terrific blow gave Korea a one-point lead at the second TTO.
Uriarte called his second timeout after a block by Kim gave Korea a four-point lead at 21-17. A stinging shot down the middle by Choi then gave Korea three set points.
Kim gave away two of those with a netted serve and a long spike, but Zingel sent a serve long to send the match to the gripped fourth set, won by Australia.
The leader board now reads Serbia 18, Australia 12, Iran 11, China 11 with the prospect that Japan will also finish today on 11 if they score maximum points against Puerto Rico.
The Australian Squad:
| Aidan Zingel Age: 21 Home: NSW Club: Bluvolley Verona, Italy Position: Middle Height: 207 Weight: 102 Nathan Roberts Age: 26 Home: SA Club: CMC Ravenna, Italy Position: Outside Height: 199 Weight: 90 Travis Passier Age: 23 Home: QLD Club: M. Roma Volley, Italy Position: Middle Height: 205 Weight: 99 Igor Yudin Age: 24 Home: Vic Club: Yaroslavich, Russia Position: Outside Height: 199 Weight: 81 Harrison Peacock Age: 21 Home: SA Club: Linkoping, Volleyball Club, Sweden Position: Setter Height: 192 Weight: 90 Andrew Grant Age: 27 Home: QLD Club: AIS, Australia Position: Middle Height: 206 Weight: 93 Adam White Age: 22 Home: Qld Club: Lang Henkel Volley, Netherlands Position: Outside Height: 203 Weight: 89 |
Jacques Borgeaud Age: 20 Home: ACT Club: Regina University, Canada Position: Libero Height: 179 Weight: 78 Aden Tutton Age: 27 Home: SA Club: Lang Henkel Volley, Netherlands Position: Libero Height:182 Weight: 81 Grigory Sukochev Age: 24 Home: SA Club: Humene, Slovakia Position: Setter Height: 196 Weight: 86 John Dekker Age: 22 Home: QLD Club: Humene, Slovakia Position: Outside Height: 205 Weight: 83 Luke Smith Age: 21 Home: WA Club: Linkoping, Volleyball Club, Sweden Position: Outside Height: 200 Weight: 90 Lincoln Williams Age: 18 Home: QLD Club: AIS, Australia Position: Opposite Height: 196 Weight: Thomas Edgar Age: 22 Home: QLD Club: Caffe Aiello Corigliano, Italy Position: Opposite Height: 212 Weight: 106 |
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