RI volleyball teams cruise into second round

RI volleyball teams cruise into second round

Pariama Hutasoit and Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Seminyak, Bali

Indonesia A team's Agus Salim and Koko Prasetyo Darkuncoro won an
easy 2-0 victory over Australia B's Brett Richardson and Alistar
Lyne on the first day of the Asia-Pacific Beach Volleyball
Competition at Petitenget beach in Seminyak, Kuta, on Friday.

Despite the strong wind and extreme heat on the beach in the
opulent Seminyak business and resort center of Kuta, some 10
kilometers west of the capital of Denpasar, Indonesia's senior
beach volleyball player Agus Salim led the game by making
accurate blocks to force the Australian team to give their best.

Agus and his junior Koko ended the first game with a score of
21-17.

The combination of senior and junior players was promising,
with Agus sharing his maturity and experience and Koko showing
strength and agility.

But the Australian team also showed their best. Richardson's
perfect serves and spikes were often unpredictable.

Koko frequently made some faults and inaccuracies in placing
his blocks.

During the second game, the host team also led 21-16.

An official from the Indonesian Volleyball Association (PBVSI)
said he expected Agus and Koko would maintain their consistency
over the next two days.

"The secret of a beach volleyball game is physical endurance,
defense and strategy. Agus and Koko possess strong teamwork," he
said.

Agus and Koko previously won against Hong Kong's Cheung Hoi
Ying/Cheng Wai Ho, 2:1.

Other team members Supriadi/Andy Ardiansyah won 2:1 against
Korea's Choi Bu Sik/Park Sang Heun.

The Asian Beach Volleyball Competition, which opened on Friday
morning, is presenting 10 participating countries, including
Australia, New Zealand, Qatar, China, South Korea, Thailand,
Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Rita Subowo, the PBVSI chairwoman, said at a media conference
that the Indonesian teams would meet strong teams like New
Zealand, China and Thailand.

Cahya Azis, the coordinator for the Indonesian Asian Games
Training Center, said the results of the first day were quite
encouraging.

"These matches could be our indicators to move ahead," Azis
said.

In women's matches, Indonesia A team's Ni Putu Timy Yudhani
and Sitti Nurjanah beat South Korean team's Chang Yoon Hee and Ji
Kyung Hee, 2:1 (21-19, 18-21, 15-9).

Meanwhile, Indonesia B team's Riesma Siswardini and Emerita
Arisanti also won easily against Australian team's Olivia Orchard
and Megan Avery, 2:1. Unfortunately, the strong Chinese team
defeated the B team.

Azis said the Indonesian women's teams will have to give their
best when they meet China, Thailand and Japan on Saturday, while
in the men's categories, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and
China are seeded as the strong teams.