The 2012 AVC Eastern Zonal Women’s Volleyball Championship - 26-30.08 - Beijing/China

The 2012 AVC Eastern Zonal Women’s Volleyball Championship is scheduled to be held from August 26 to 30 in Beijing, China.

Six teams from Japan, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Macao, Mongolia and the host country, China, are participating in the event.

Cai Yi, Zonal Executive Vice President of AVC Eastern Zone, said in a press briefing that the competition will consist of single round-robin tournament. Three matches will be played each day.

Cai said that the Championship provides an excellent opportunity for teams from the AVC Eastern Zone to display their talents. He expressed his wish that the players not only do all they can to achieve good results, but also learn from each other so as to make contributions to the development of volleyball in the AVC Eastern Zone.

The schedule of the competition is as follows (all times are local times):

August 26
15:00 Japan vs. Macao
16:30 Chinese Taipei vs. Hong Kong
19:30 China vs. Mongolia

August 27
15:00 Chinese Taipei vs. Mongolia
16:30 Hong Kong Vs. Japan
19:30 Macao vs. China

August 28
15:00 Japan vs. Mongolia
16:30 Hong Kong vs. Macao
19:30 Chinese Taipei vs. China

August 29
15:00 Mongolia vs. Hong Kong
16:30 Macao vs. Chinese Taipei
19:30 China vs. Japan

August 30
15:00 Mongolia vs. Macao
16:30 Japan vs. Chinese Taipei
19:30 China vs. Hong Kong

Beijing, China, August 30, 2012 - China is another step closer to claiming the title after coming from a set down to defeat Japan 3-1 (24-26, 25-15, 25-23, 25-21) in a hard-fought match at the Asian Eastern Zone Women’s Volleyball Championship August 29. Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong earned straight set wins.

Both China and Japan went into their match undefeated, neither having lost a single set. Japan clung to early leads of only one or two points in the opening set and were able to get away from China at 10-5 as China made three attacking errors. But fighting power with power, China struck back to level the scores at 12-12 and 24-24, at which point a strong attack by Japan’s number one left-handed spiker, Ayumi Nakamura, and a block against China’s key wing spiker, Liu Xiaotong, gave the Japanese the set 26-24.

China rallied back strongly in the second, scoring the first four points of the set on the strength of two blocks and two kills by Zeng Chunlei and Xue Ming. They led 8-5 at the first technical time-out. China extended the lead to 16-8 by the second technical time-out. Japan tried their utmost to fight back with fast attacks and several thunderous spikes, but errors in attacking and receiving ensured that China would maintain a ten point lead to finish the set.

The Japanese fell behind 5-2 early in the third set but refused to give up. Ayumi Nakamura’s jumping serve and fast attacking by Mai Okumura helped Japan level the set at 23-23. But the set finally went the Chinese way when Zeng Chunlei and Xue Ming blocked a Japanese spike.

Japan lost focus early in the fourth set, but at 8-12 behind Japan suddenly found their form while China seemed to lose their concentration. Japan rallied not only to level the scores at 13-13, but also led China by two points at 17-15. At this junction, Japan again succumbed to unforced faults, while Liu Xiaotong answered with her own rocket. A more confident Chinese side sealed the fourth set with a monstrous hit by Zeng to make it 25-21.

In their earlier match, Chinese Taipei started he first set smartly, jumping ahead and staying there to win 25-12. The second set was a different story. Macao went ahead from the beginning, leading 8-6 at the first technical time-out and 16-14 at second. Chinese Taipei's spikes increased in quantity and quality, rallying back to take the lead at 19-18 and never looking back. In the third set Macao again showed some mettle, leading Chinese Taipei at 15-12, 18-14 and 21-19. But over the last several points eye-catching defending and spiking from Chinese Taipei put the end to the match (25-12, 25-21, 25-23).

Hong Kong moved comfortably ahead from the start in their first two sets against Mongolia and never gave up their lead, winning 25-17 and 25-17. Mongolia showed their determination in the third and final set, initially hanging with Hong Kong at 5-5 and then taking lead at 13-10. Hong Kong leveled the scores at 14-14, however, and took the set 25-19.

Day five fixtures: Mongolia vs. Macao, Japan vs. Chinese Taipei, China vs. Hong Kong

Standings after fourth rounds:
1.China 12 points, 2. Japan 9 pts, 3. Chinese Taipei 9 pts, 4. Hong Kong 6 pts, Mongolia 0 pts, 6. Macao 0 pts

The results are as follows:
Day one
Japan vs. Macao 3-0 (25-7, 25-10, 25-7)
Chinese Taipei vs. Hong Kong 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-15)
China vs. Mongolia 3-0 (25-4, 25-15, 25-6)

Day two
Chinese Taipei vs. Mongolia 3-0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-15)
Hong Kong Vs. Japan 0-3 (9-25, 11-25, 13-25)
Macao vs. China 0-3 (11-25, 11-25, 7-25)

Day three
Japan vs. Mongolia 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-12)
Hong Kong vs. Macao 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-11)
Chinese Taipei vs. China 0-3 (8-25, 12-25, 7-25)

Day four
Mongolia vs. Hong Kong 0-3 (17-25, 17-25, 19-25)
Macao vs. Chinese Taipei 0-3 (12-25, 21-25, 23-25)
China vs. Japan 3-1 (24-26, 25-15, 25-23, 25-21)

Beijing, China, August 30, 2012 – China defeated Hong Kong in straight sets in the last match of the day on Thursday in Beijing Guangcai Gymnasium to earn the gold medal of the Asian Eastern Zone Women’s Volleyball Championship.

Led by key wing spiker Liu Xiaotong and middle blocker Xue Ming, China completely controlled the match. Hong Kong began making mistakes as they came under pressure from their rivals' powerful attacking and tight blocking, and those errors were efficiently exploited by the outstanding Chinese players. The Chinese team defeated Hong Kong handily by scores of 25-9, 25-8 and 25-12.

China maintained a perfect record in this tournament and played consistent volleyball throughout, never dropping a set. It is the third time China has finished first in the past seven editions of the tounrament, having won 1998 and 2002. Japan has won the Championships three times, in 2000, 2004 and 2008, while Chinese Taipei clinched the title in 2006 and 2010.

Japan, employing players selected from various university teams, beat Chinese Taipei 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-14) to secure the silver medal with an record of four wins and one loss.

The Bronze medal went to Chinese Taipei, who earned nine points from three wins and two defeats. Hong Kong was fourth.

Mongolia recorded their first victory of the tournament by edging Macao 3-1 (25-16, 26-24, 19-25, 25-16), and placed fifth ahead of Macao who were winless in the Championship.

Final standings:

1.China 15 points,
2. Japan 12 pts,
3. Chinese Taipei 9 pts,
4. Hong Kong 6 pts,
5. Mongolia 3 pts,
6. Macao 0 pts

The results are as follows:

Day one
Japan vs. Macao 3-0 (25-7, 25-10, 25-7)
Chinese Taipei vs. Hong Kong 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-15)
China vs. Mongolia 3-0 (25-4, 25-15, 25-6)

Day two
Chinese Taipei vs. Mongolia 3-0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-15)
Hong Kong Vs. Japan 0-3 (9-25, 11-25, 13-25)
Macao vs. China 0-3 (11-25, 11-25, 7-25)

Day three
Japan vs. Mongolia 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-12)
Hong Kong vs. Macao 3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-11)
Chinese Taipei vs. China 0-3 (8-25, 12-25, 7-25)

Day four

Mongolia vs. Hong Kong 0-3 (17-25, 17-25, 19-25)
Macao vs. Chinese Taipei 0-3 (12-25, 21-25, 23-25)
China vs. Japan 3-1 (24-26, 25-15, 25-23, 25-21)

Day five
Mongolia vs. Macao 3-1 (25-16, 26-24, 19-25, 25-16)
Japan vs. Chinese Taipei 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-14)
China vs. Hong Kong 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-12)

Women’s historical top three

Year Gold Silver Bronze

1998 CHN JPN TPE
2000 JPN MGL CHN
2002 CHN TPE JPN
2004 JPN PRK TPE
2006 TPE JPN CHN
2008 JPN CHN MGL
2010 TPE KOR JPN