Perfect timing: Japan's Saori Sakoda spikes the ball against Cuba's Yanelis Santos in a FIVB Olympic Volleyball world qualifier on Friday in Tokyo. Japan defeated the three-time world champions in five sets. KYODOThe hosts, chasing one of the final four berths at the London Olympics available here, beat three-time Olympic champion Cuba 25-23, 18-25, 25-16, 23-25, 17-15. The five-set win earned Japan two points in the standings, moving it into second place on 11, four points back of Russia in the eight-team, round-robin tournament.It was power against power as the sides blasted away in the first five-set match of the tournament. Saori Sakoda and Saori Kimura spearheaded the Japan attack with 20 and 19 points, respectively. Yukiko Ebata contributed 10 tallies.It was Sakoda's late-match heroics that carried Japan to the stirring victory this night as she dominated in the fourth and fifth.Yoana Palacios had a match-high 22 points in the loss. Wilma Salas added 19 for Cuba, while Rosana Giel and Yanelis Santos finished with 17 and 16.Cuba made 40 unforced errors compared to only 11 by Japan. The defeated side held the advantage in blocks 16-4 and both sides scored via eight aces. "I was very happy to win," Sakoda said. "We want to do the same thing again tomorrow. Wearing the Japan uniform means always having to be prepared. My job is to chance the flow and mood of the game when I come in. I was able to do it tonight."Added Kimura: "I was determined to destroy their attack with a strong serve."The Russians, who take on Japan on Saturday, defeated Serbia 25-18, 25-11, 14-25, 25-22 as the Serbs became the first team in the tournament to take a set off Russia.Thailand improved to nine points with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-20 victory over Peru, while South Korea joined the Thais at nine with a 25-8, 25-12, 25-18 win over winless Taiwan.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Japan edges Cuba in Olympic women's volleyball qualifier
Japan scraped out its fourth win of the Women's 2012 World Olympic qualification tournament at Tokyo Gymnasium on Friday, needing five sets to beat Cuba.Perfect timing: Japan's Saori Sakoda spikes the ball against Cuba's Yanelis Santos in a FIVB Olympic Volleyball world qualifier on Friday in Tokyo. Japan defeated the three-time world champions in five sets. KYODOThe hosts, chasing one of the final four berths at the London Olympics available here, beat three-time Olympic champion Cuba 25-23, 18-25, 25-16, 23-25, 17-15. The five-set win earned Japan two points in the standings, moving it into second place on 11, four points back of Russia in the eight-team, round-robin tournament.It was power against power as the sides blasted away in the first five-set match of the tournament. Saori Sakoda and Saori Kimura spearheaded the Japan attack with 20 and 19 points, respectively. Yukiko Ebata contributed 10 tallies.It was Sakoda's late-match heroics that carried Japan to the stirring victory this night as she dominated in the fourth and fifth.Yoana Palacios had a match-high 22 points in the loss. Wilma Salas added 19 for Cuba, while Rosana Giel and Yanelis Santos finished with 17 and 16.Cuba made 40 unforced errors compared to only 11 by Japan. The defeated side held the advantage in blocks 16-4 and both sides scored via eight aces. "I was very happy to win," Sakoda said. "We want to do the same thing again tomorrow. Wearing the Japan uniform means always having to be prepared. My job is to chance the flow and mood of the game when I come in. I was able to do it tonight."Added Kimura: "I was determined to destroy their attack with a strong serve."The Russians, who take on Japan on Saturday, defeated Serbia 25-18, 25-11, 14-25, 25-22 as the Serbs became the first team in the tournament to take a set off Russia.Thailand improved to nine points with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-20 victory over Peru, while South Korea joined the Thais at nine with a 25-8, 25-12, 25-18 win over winless Taiwan.
Perfect timing: Japan's Saori Sakoda spikes the ball against Cuba's Yanelis Santos in a FIVB Olympic Volleyball world qualifier on Friday in Tokyo. Japan defeated the three-time world champions in five sets. KYODOThe hosts, chasing one of the final four berths at the London Olympics available here, beat three-time Olympic champion Cuba 25-23, 18-25, 25-16, 23-25, 17-15. The five-set win earned Japan two points in the standings, moving it into second place on 11, four points back of Russia in the eight-team, round-robin tournament.It was power against power as the sides blasted away in the first five-set match of the tournament. Saori Sakoda and Saori Kimura spearheaded the Japan attack with 20 and 19 points, respectively. Yukiko Ebata contributed 10 tallies.It was Sakoda's late-match heroics that carried Japan to the stirring victory this night as she dominated in the fourth and fifth.Yoana Palacios had a match-high 22 points in the loss. Wilma Salas added 19 for Cuba, while Rosana Giel and Yanelis Santos finished with 17 and 16.Cuba made 40 unforced errors compared to only 11 by Japan. The defeated side held the advantage in blocks 16-4 and both sides scored via eight aces. "I was very happy to win," Sakoda said. "We want to do the same thing again tomorrow. Wearing the Japan uniform means always having to be prepared. My job is to chance the flow and mood of the game when I come in. I was able to do it tonight."Added Kimura: "I was determined to destroy their attack with a strong serve."The Russians, who take on Japan on Saturday, defeated Serbia 25-18, 25-11, 14-25, 25-22 as the Serbs became the first team in the tournament to take a set off Russia.Thailand improved to nine points with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-20 victory over Peru, while South Korea joined the Thais at nine with a 25-8, 25-12, 25-18 win over winless Taiwan.
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