Late sport Japenese team impressive

Press, 22 August 1979, Page 6

Late sport Japenese team impressive

In spite of » determined effort by New Zealand, Daito Bunka University of Japan won the third and final volleyball international of the series at the Pioneer Stadium, Christchurch, last evening. The Japanese dropped the first set, but displayed greater consistency and produced more sustained pressure to win the match, U-15, 10-14, 15-10, 15-11. New Zealand played very well at times but was unable to match the nimble Japanese when it came to the crucial points. New Zealand generally began each set well, taking a 4-0 lead in the third set and a 3-0 lead in the fourth, but the Japanese were always able to fight back. The New Zealand defence sometimes appeared too scattered, while the Japanese grouping was usually fairly tight. New Zealand trailed, 9-11, in the first game but a burst of three ouiek points, including two rebounds, gave it the lead and eventually take the set. This was in spite of the efforts of the Japanese coach to upset the New Zealanders’ rhythm with two time-outs at important stages near the end of the set. New Zealand trailed through tfie early part of the second set but eventually levelled at 10-10, and then led, 13-12, but after toiling for half an hour, the Japanese won the set, 16-14. Daito Bunka won the important third set and in the fourth wen five successive points to lead, 5-3, but then dropped four consecutive points, showing one

uncharacteristic lapse in team, work when the ball was passed to no-one. New Zealand led, 10-8, but sue* cumbed to the accurate spiking of the Japanese and could win only one additional point. The outstanding Japanese player was its setter, Hisao Tanaka, whose variation in setting was a constant worry to the New Zealanders. For New Zealand, the spiking of its captain, John Hall (Wel« Ijnglon), Arti I.amsam (Welling, ton), and Canterbury’s Gilbert: Enoka was invariably while the work rate end setting! of the Auckland representative,! Gary Anderson, was an inspiral tion to his team. Daito Bunka had won the An|< two internationals.