Wrap-Up Day 1
By Maryam Hessaby
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, October 1, 2021 – Hosts Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC, former successive two-time Asian Club winners Supreme Chonburi and formidable Altay registered their first wins in the 2021 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship at Terminal 21 Hall here on Friday.
The one-week championship features seven teams to vie for the top honor and the lone berth on offer to represent Asia as AVC Club Championship winners in the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship in Ankara, Turkey from December 15 to 19, 2021.
Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC (Thailand), Zhetyssu (Kazakhstan) and Choco Mucho (Philippines) are in Pool A, while Pool B consists of Rebisco (Philippines), Altay (Kazakhstan), Supreme Chonburi (Thailand) and Saipa (Iran).
The curtain-raisers between hosts and Thailand League runners-up Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC and Choco Mucho of the Philippines on Friday saw the former, strengthened by former and current Thailand national team players including highly-skilled setter Nootsara Tomkom, outclass the latter with a convincing straight-set (25-11, 28-26, 25-17) triumph in Pool A. Talented Chatchu-on Moksri scored a match-high 20 points including 18 attacks from 33 attempts for the Thai side.
Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC will have a rest day on Saturday and next take on Kazakhstan’s Zhetyssu in their last preliminary Pool A match the following day.
In Pool B, Saipa’s high expectations to win their opening clash in Thailand turned sour on Friday when the Iran’s Super League champions succumbed to a bitter 1-3 (23-25, 25-22, 13-25, 13-25) letdown at the hands of Supreme Chonburi, silver medallists at the previous edition in Tianjin, China in 2019 (Tournament cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic).
Supreme Chonburi, spearheaded by three veterans including superstar Pleumjit Thinkaow and Wilavan Apinyapong, will next play Rebisco of the Philippines on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Altay, which similarly finished fourth at the last four editions, survived a huge scare from Rebisco in the hotly-contested first set to pull off a scintillating straight-set 25-23, 25-13, 25-17 win against the Philippine counterparts. Altay are due to next go up against Saipa on Saturday.
The pool round-robin preliminaries continue through Sunday and at the end of the three-day pool plays, teams will be ranked respectively due to their performances in each pool and quarterfinals will be held after that, with 1A taking on 4B and 2A challenging 3B. The four winners will then advance to the semifinals, with the losers relegated to classification round for 5th-7th places.
The championship is being held with a secure bubble concept and behind closed doors due to on-going COVID-19 restrictions. There are also several key changes to conventional volleyball match protocol, with team handshakes, the exchange of gifts and switching court sides at the end of sets eliminated to minimise close contact between teams. The video challenge system is also used to confirm reverse, or replay specific decisions made by the officiating team.
A regular COVID-19 testing schedule will also be implemented for the competition. Consequently, all participants will need to present a negative PCR test prior to departing for the event. Everyone will also undergo a PCR test upon arrival, along with every three days during their stay in Nakhon Ratchasima and before departing the organisational quarantine. In the event that a participant displays COVID-19 symptoms, additional tests shall be performed, as well as close contact tracking and specific medical care outside the bubble if required.
However, co-organisers Thailand Volleyball Association has been informed by the Department of Disease Control that masks have not be worn while some team officials were travelling by coach on Friday and this can lead to a breach of rules and regulations set by the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention.
Thus, Control Committee Chairman Mr Yermek Syrlybayev issued a warning message to all participating teams with a sole purpose to remind everyone on this relevant matter. In the message, no fines or punishment for the first occurrence noticed, but if there is a repeat of such incident or behaviour in this manner, those breaking the rules and regulations will be fined and sanctioned as per rules set by the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention under the Thai government.
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC (Thailand) b Choco Mucho (Philippines) 3-0 (25-11, 28-26, 25-17)
Supreme Chonburi (Thailand) b Saipa (Iran) 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-13, 25-13)
Altay (Kazakhstan) b Rebisco (Philippines) 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-17)
MATCH SCHEDULE
Related links of AVC
AVC Website: click www.asianvolleyball.net
AVC Facebook: click www.Facebook.com/AsianVolleyballConfederation
AVC Twitter: click: www.twitter.com/AsianVolleyball
AVC Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/avcvolley/?hl=en
AVC Youtube: click: Asian Volleyball Confederation
AVC WeChat: Asian Volleyball Confederation