Thai women spikers win their first game
JAKARTA (JP): Thailand's women's indoor volleyballers barely broke sweat yesterday to beat the Philippines in straight sets.
The gold medalist from the last Games found the Philippines' a complete walkover at the start, even though the latter had won the bronze medal at the previous Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Before the crowd had time to settle it was over 15-0.
In the second set, the Philipinnes managed a mini-recovery but the Thais did not allow their opponents to last long and won it 15-7. In the last set, the Philipinnes team seemed to give up the fight amazingly easily and only scored one point.
Thailand has targeted winning both the men and women's indoor volleyball at this year's Games, as it did in 1995.
Team manager Pravech Rattanapian was satisfied with his team's success. "My team will win the Games," he told The Jakarta Post after the game, smiling.
The organizers, without giving any explanation, did not hold a press conference with the team captains and coaches, as had been scheduled.
Thailand's women's team today comes up against Indonesia. The hosts should be a much sterner test for the all-conquering Thais but are still not expected to win. The Philippines faces Vietnam.
Yesterday Indonesia went all out and won its match against Myanmar without too much difficulty 15-5, 15-3, 15-7.
Later yesterday Vietnam's male volleyballers won against Malaysia after losing the first set 13-15.
Malaysia's front line Choong Shiong Yong and Muh. Ammar See Abd. could not stop hard smashes from Vietnam's spikers Kha Nguyen Tan, Son Bui Hui and Thang Nguyen Dinh even though Malaysian old hand Sze Yen Lee used every trick in the book.
But Malaysia could not maintain its form, despite the exhortations of coach Gang Chen and lost the next three sets 9-15, 6-15, 12-15.
The intensity of the competition was shown by the awarding of yellow cards to Malaysia's Soo Beng Khaw and Hao Le Hong from Vietnam.
In the next match Thailand was pushed to the limit by Myanmar, which received noisy support from its other athletes, who brought into the arena their own orchestra of traditional musical equipments.
Thailand won the first set 15-9 but lost the next two 5-15 and 9-15. After some stern words from coach Wu Khun Xing, the players regained their composure and won the next set 15-9.
The final set was a real see-saw battle with both sides taking points and then losing the initiative with surprising regularity. But the Thais eventually triumphed 15-12.
In the final match of the day Indonesia beat the Philippines 3-2. The first two sets two were close, Indonesia winning the first 15-9 and losing the second 13-15. But then the host went up a gear and won the next two 15-4, 15-9.
Today Malaysia faces Indonesia, while Vietnam plays against Myanmar, who got silver medal in the last Games. The relieved Thais should have a much easier match against the Philippines. (ste)