S. Korea nails first win in volleyball Grand Prix

JAKARTA (JP): South Korea showed what being the world's best defensive team means when it beat the Netherlands 3-1 (15-9, 15- 10, 13-15, 15-4) at the Women's World Volleyball Grand Prix here yesterday.

Later on the day, Brazil rallied to beat the United States 15- 5, 11-15, 9-15, 15-9, 15-12 to maintain its winning streak.

In the other first leg in Sendai, Japan, China lost 1-3 (13- 15, 15-3, 9-15, 12-15) to Russia and Cuba beat Japan 3-1 (15-11, 12-15, 15-8, 15-13). After yesterday's matches, China, Russia and Cuba scored two wins against a defeat each, while Japan was winless.

The South Koreans never ran out of steam even when they were trailing 3-11 in the third set. The Netherlands, in contrast, fell behind 4-11 in the fourth set and stayed parked at that point to allow the Koreans to clinch the match.

In the third set, it was true that the Koreans were often at a loss as to what to do when they had to deal with Erna Brinkman's deadly crossing smashes. Brinkman flew so high that even a 1.84m- tall Chang So-yun failed to block her nose-dive smashes most of the time. South Korea's shorter defenders -- be it Choi Kwang-hee (1.74m) or Kang Hye-Mi (1.72m) -- either returned them wide or kissed the floor.

Knowing they were unable to handle the 1.84 meter tall Dutch spiker, the Koreans solidified their defense while letting their opponents continue their attacks. Somehow the Koreans managed to drag the Dutchwomen into a pool of errors, while cutting short Brinkman's smashing chances.

The Netherlands' reversal of fortune, according to South Korea's taciturn head coach Kim Cheol-yong, however, happened because his team "served better".

Kim added that his team's victory had to do with his decision to let the recovering captain Chang Yoon-hee resume her role as spiker. Chang was nursing a shoulder injury she suffered in South Korea's defeat to Brazil on Saturday.

The Koreans were so persistent during the third set that they rose from 3-11 to 10-14. Just how difficult it was for the Netherlands to get the point to end the game was reflected in the fact it took 10 minutes, and the replacement of its four players (Claudia Van Thiel, Irena Machovcak, Erna Brinkman and Marjolein De Jong). The score was 14-13.

Dutch team head coach Bert Goedkoop said: "My players were frustrated. Their shots and spikes could always be returned properly. They are not mentally prepared for a hard game such as this. Moreover, our first setter Riette Fledderus was ill." (arf)