Netherlands Beat USA for Third Straight Win
November 22, 1998 - 0:0
CHIBA, JAPAN - Olympic champions the Netherlands shrugged off a shaky start Saturday to beat the United States for their third straight win at the men's World Volleyball Championships. The Dutch spikers, the runners-up in the 1994 championships, lapsed into making errors to go down 2-10 in the first set - from where they stormed back to score a 15-12, 15-6, 15-11 victory.
When the Americans were leading 10-2 after unforced errors on our side, they gave us some air and then we were alive again, said Dutch head coach Toon Gerbrands after the 89-minute match. It was also a special game for me, because Douglas Beal (American coach) came to Holland when I was still a very young coach. I learned a lot from him at the time and this was the first time I had coached against him.
It was a honour to play against one of the best coaches in the world. The Dutch team, who had to be satisfied with the silver medals in the 1995 World Cup and the Barcelona Olympics, had to fight without middle-blocker Albert Cristina. Cristina returned home because his girlfriend, former national team player Aafke Hament, is due to give birth over the next few days.
Atlanta Olympic bronze medallists Uugoslavia and fourth place finishers Russia also chalked up their third straight wins in the eight-team group H round robin in Chiba, on eastern outskirts of Tokyo. Yugoslavia needed just over one hour to beat Ukraine 15-9, 15-10, 15-1, while Russia downed Greece 12-15, 15-6, 15-11, 15-6. It is important to win 3-0, but it's even more important to increase our game level match by match.
I'm satisfied that we made only five mistakes, said Yugoslav coach Zoran Gajic. Rusian coach Guennadi Chipouline was not satisfied, saying: My players did not play at their best level and we couldn't perform in our usual style. In the future, each player must maximise his game. In group G in Hiroshima, western Japan, Cuba and Spain remained unbeaten with a third consecutive win each.
Cuba breezed past South Korea 15-13, 15-9, 15-7, while Spain outplayed Bulgaria 17-15, 15-4, 15-11. Canada posted their first win in the second round when they defeated Argentina 15-11, 10-15, 15-4, 15-6. (AFP)
When the Americans were leading 10-2 after unforced errors on our side, they gave us some air and then we were alive again, said Dutch head coach Toon Gerbrands after the 89-minute match. It was also a special game for me, because Douglas Beal (American coach) came to Holland when I was still a very young coach. I learned a lot from him at the time and this was the first time I had coached against him.
It was a honour to play against one of the best coaches in the world. The Dutch team, who had to be satisfied with the silver medals in the 1995 World Cup and the Barcelona Olympics, had to fight without middle-blocker Albert Cristina. Cristina returned home because his girlfriend, former national team player Aafke Hament, is due to give birth over the next few days.
Atlanta Olympic bronze medallists Uugoslavia and fourth place finishers Russia also chalked up their third straight wins in the eight-team group H round robin in Chiba, on eastern outskirts of Tokyo. Yugoslavia needed just over one hour to beat Ukraine 15-9, 15-10, 15-1, while Russia downed Greece 12-15, 15-6, 15-11, 15-6. It is important to win 3-0, but it's even more important to increase our game level match by match.
I'm satisfied that we made only five mistakes, said Yugoslav coach Zoran Gajic. Rusian coach Guennadi Chipouline was not satisfied, saying: My players did not play at their best level and we couldn't perform in our usual style. In the future, each player must maximise his game. In group G in Hiroshima, western Japan, Cuba and Spain remained unbeaten with a third consecutive win each.
Cuba breezed past South Korea 15-13, 15-9, 15-7, while Spain outplayed Bulgaria 17-15, 15-4, 15-11. Canada posted their first win in the second round when they defeated Argentina 15-11, 10-15, 15-4, 15-6. (AFP)