Volleyball star Takeshita opts to skip 2012-13 season

Japan national team setter Yoshie Takeshita will sit out the 2012-13 volleyball season, choosing to rest after a busy campaign in which she juggled Olympic and club team duties.

The 34-year-old from Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, will not play for the JT Marvelous club team as she takes time off. Fatigue has been a factor for her throughout the past season.

Takeshita, a three-time Olympian, helped Japan capture a bronze medal at the 2012 London Summer Games. It was the Japan women's first medal in Olympic competition since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

For her, it was a thrilling achievement.

"We think that we all individually worked hard and believed in ourselves," Takeshita said after Japan defeated South Korea to finish third in London. "That made the difference today. It was not only the setting, we all played well.

"The Olympic medal is the best moment of all."

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Japan men miss chance to climb to top of volleyball standings

Japan wasted an opportunity on Tuesday to take the lead among Asian teams at the 2012 FIVB Olympic men's volleyball tournament at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

Busy night: Tatsuya Fukuzawa leads Japan with 21 points in Tuesday's Olympic men's volleyball qualifying tournament match against South Korea. KYODO

Japan defeated South Korea 25-22, 24-26, 25-20, 19-25, 15-6, securing just two points for the victory. The Koreans collected one point for the five-set defeat.

Following losses earlier in the day by China and Iran, a win in fewer than five sets would have put Japan at the top of the pack chasing Asia's guaranteed berth to London on offer at the eight-team tournament. Instead, the hosts are equal on five points with Iran, who they trail on points ratio.

Japan was led by Tatsuya Fukuzawa, who scored 21, and Kunihiro Shimizu, who chipped in 13.

"I wish we could have won 3-1," Japan captain Daisuke Usami said. "We were passive after the first set. Our mental approach must be reviewed. We will have to sustain our strong will in the coming matches."

Although he was far from jubilant, Japan coach Tatsuya Ueta praised his players.

"This was a team win," he said. "We've become a team where everyone battles. Every player on the floor did his utmost."

South Korea coach Park Ki-Won said, "The individual level of the players was unstable. They could not perform well. This was the key element. I'm sorry we lost."

Earlier, tournament leader Serbia remained perfect by defeating China 25-15, 25-13, 25-21 behind 13 points from Milos Nikic. China fell to 1-2 with four points from three games.

Australia, which trails Serbia on points ratio, dropped the first against Iran before winning 17-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23. Thomas Edgar scored 24 for Australia, while Adam White accounted for 22.

In the day's other match, Venezuela routed Puerto Rico 25-20, 25-20, 25-21 with captain Kervin Pinerua top-scoring for the South Americans with 14 points.

The top two teams will each win a spot at the London Olympics, as will the next-best Asian team.

Japan's next match is against China on Wednesday.

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Japanese men lose volleyball opener to Serbia

Access denied: Kunihiro Shimizu sees his spike blocked during Japan's 25-19, 25-23, 26-16 loss to Serbia in its opening match of the men's Olympic qualifiers on Friday. KYODO PHOTO

Japan failed to put up much of a fight in its opening match of the men's world Olympic qualifiers, losing 3-0 to Serbia on Friday.

Japan went down 25-19, 25-23, 25-16 to the world's No. 7 team at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, where the Serbs were led by 13 points from Nikic Milos and 10 each from Nikola Kovacevic and Marko Podrascanin.

Serbia also enjoyed 24 points off errors by Japan, which faces Venezuela on Saturday. Venezuela was thrashed 3-0 by Australia earlier Friday, when China beat Puerto Rico by the same score as did Iran over South Korea.

To qualify for London, Japan needs to either win the eight-team round-robin tournament or be the highest finisher from Asia. The Japanese women qualified for their third consecutive Olympics on Sunday.

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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. KYODO

The 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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Cuba prevails over Japan in World League volleyball

Hamamatsu — The Japan men's volleyball team got off to a losing start in Pool A action in the World League on Friday night, going down in straight sets to Cuba.

Led by Leon Venero Wilfredo's 19 points, the Cubans, ranked fifth in the world, prevailed 25-22, 28-26, 25-20 to leave home fans disappointed at Hamamatsu Arena.

Shigeru Kondo also scored 19 points for the 15th-ranked Japanese, who held set point in the second set, only to lose the momentum and allow their opponents to take control.

In the other Pool A game, Russia beat Serbia in full sets 25-21, 25-22, 19-25, 20-25, 15-9.

Japan, which is involved in London Olympic qualifiers being played in Tokyo from June 1-10, plays Russia on Saturday and meets the Serbs on Sunday.

Featuring 16 teams across four pools, the World League is played across four weeks with each country hosting all four teams in their respective pool on one weekend each.

The finals in Sofia, in July will feature the winner of each group and the two best runnersup.

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