AUSTRALIA UPSETS KOREA IN ASIAN VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

VOLLEYBALL, September 22: Volleyball Team Australia will go into tonight’s second round match against Qatar brimming with confidence after an upset 3-2 victory over fourth seeds Korea in the 16th Asian Men’s Volleyball Championships in Tehran, Iran. overnight.

Statistically the fifth seeded Australians dominated every area of the game against Korea to win 25-20, 29-31, 25-20, 25-27,15-7 and will now prepare for its second match against Qatar before its third preliminary pool D match against Turkmenistan tomorrow night.
 
Korea is one of the most consistent teams in the Asian Championship history, winning a total of 14 medals, making them regular podium finishers since 1975.
 
This year’s Asian Championships feature 16 teams who will all by vying for the title, as well as a ticket to the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup 2011 in Japan (November 20 to December 4) with the top three teams from that tournament earning a berth the London 2012 Olympic Games.

 Australian’s Assistant Coach Dan Ilott said the Australians, who won the Asian Championships in 2007, played with a lot of focus and determination against the Koreans, to win a critical first match and followed the game plan very well.

“The team sided out exceptionally well for most of the game except for the end of the second and fourth sets which Korea won narrowly after Australia failed to capitalise on good leads they had created,” Ilott said.
 
“Australia had eight set points after leading 24-19 in the second set but could not convert the needed point to win the set and Korea took their chances creating a lot of momentum in the process.
 
“Australia started slowly in the third set as they were clearly still in mourning from losing the second set in such poor fashion after dominating the set, and did not get going until the second technical time out trailing 15-16. From this point they completely outclassed Korea, recording five stuff blocks and dominating in attack to win the next 10 points to four and take the set 25-20.”
 
Australia continued this good play in the fourth set and looked in control as they attacked at 65 percent kill for the set and maintained a three point lead for most of the set up until 23-21 when Korea closed the gap to 23-23.
 
Australia still had two set points but could not get over the line and Korea again fought back to clinch a close set sending the match into a tie break fifth set.
 
The fifth set saw Australia lift another gear as they again attacked at 60% kill for the set, recorded 3 stuff blocks and 1 service ace totally dominating Korea. Australia led 8-2 at change of ends and ran away with the set 15-7.
 
Australia, China, Japan and Korea are the only four countries to have participated in all 16 tournaments and each has won the crown at least once. Defending champions Japan have been the most dominant force in the last 15 editions of the Asian Championship with seven Gold medals followed by Korea with four, China with three and Australia with one.
 
Only six teams have reached the podium at the Asian Men’s Championship. They are Japan, Korea, China, Australia, Iran and Kazakhstan.
 
AUSTRALIA d KOREA 3-2: (25-20, 29-31, 25-20, 25-27,15-7)
 
 TEAM STATISTICS
 
SERVE              5 Aces, 20 Errors, Proficiency 1.48.
ATTACK            59% Kill, 12% Error, 47% Kill Efficiency.
RECEPTION      Proficiency 2.29, 53% Perfect, 6 errors.
BLOCK              20 Stuff Blocks. 22 Control blocks.
DEFENCE          15 Digs.