Japan edges Iran to rule Asian volleyball tilt

Japan bounced back from one set down in beating Iran, 19-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-22, and claiming the 15th Asian Men’s Senior Volleyball Championship title Monday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Inspired by a sizeable crowd which had Iranians outnumbering Japanese fans, Iran took the first set but Japan, proud owner of six previous Asian crowns, showed composure and championship poise in the next three sets to clinch the victory in the one hour, 44 minute match. Kunihiro Shimizu and Tatsuya Fukuzawa stood at the forefront of the Japanese attack, accounting for 35 of the 52 kills scored in the match. Shimizu, who led the winning team with 24 hits, towered over the defense of the Iranians, scoring powerful spikes passing through the outstretch arms of the defenders many times over, especially in the fateful fourth set. Mohammad Mohammadkazem and Seyed Mousavi Eraghi joined hands for 21 kills for Iran, which actually had more blocks, 11-7. But they gave up 32 points on errors that severely affected their chances in the one-game finals.

The Iranians seemed to have taken the momentum in the third when they seized a 17-15 lead. But four errors capped by a receiving error by libero Ahsanollah Shirkavand helped Japan take eight of the next 11 points for a 23-20 lead. The two teams exchanged points in the next two plays before Fukuzawa soared high for a mighty kill over Iranian blockers Nadi and Sadeghiany, allowing Japan to take a 2-1 set lead. The fourth set was close but again, the Iranians lost poise down the stretch. Yuta Yoneyama drove a kill, which was followed by two Iran errors that allowed the Japanese to break the last deadlock at 19 and move three points up. Iran threatened at 21-22 after winning the next two points but Shimizu made a strong attack afterwhich Fukuzawa and Yoshihiko Matsumoto blocked Mohammadkazem for a 24-21 cushion. Nadi won the next point to stave off championship point but Mohammadkazem later fired a wayward serve for an error, sending the lean Japanese crowd in jubilation. It was Japan’s seventh championship overall after winning in 1975, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995 and 2005 while Iran, despite the defeat, recorded its best finish in 13 years of participation. In the other games, Korea defeated China 25-23, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, to take third place while Kazakhstan drubbed Indonesia, 25-18, 22-25, 25-10, 25-17 for fifth spot and Australia won over Chinese Taipei, 25-15, 25-21, 25-14, for seventh. India, Myanmar, Lebanon, Vietnam, Thailand, Qatar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Maldives completed the final placing in the 18-team competition. - GMANews.TV