Press release
Stakes set to rise for world's best girls' youth teams
Japanese players happy with their third consecutive victory in Ankara at the FIVB Girls Youth World Championship
Ankara, Turkey, August 16, 2011 – The 2011 FIVB Girlls' Youth World Championship steps up a gear on Tuesday as the second-round stage begins with just eight teams remaining in the running for the medals.
The top two teams from Pools A to D join together in Pool E and F, while the third and fourth ranked teams of the four first round pools are grouped in Pool G and H to play for places 9 to 16. The results from the first round are not taken into the second round. In each pool the teams will play a Round Robin system to determine the ranking.
The 1st and 2nd ranked team of Pool E and F will play the Semi Finals. The 3rd and 4th ranked team of Pool E and F will qualify for the play off 5-8. The 1st and 2nd ranked team of Pool G and H will fight for places 9-12. The third and fourth ranked team of Pool G and H will battle for ranks 13-16.
The FIVB Girls' Youth World Championship involves 16 teams and runs from August 12 to 21. Both Brazil and China are the record holders of the tournament with three crowns to their names. Brazil captured gold in 1997, 2005 and 2009, while China were crowned in 2001, 2003 and 2007. Japan and Russia both won the gold in two events as Japan topped the podium in 1995 and 1997 and Russia in 1989 and 1993 with the former one under the Soviet Union flag. Korea was the champions in 1991.
Turkey, Brazil, China and Japan were the only team who finished the first round in a clean sheet as they all have the win- loss ratio of 3-0 to top their respective pools, but among them Turkey was the only team to pass the first round without dropping a set.
Among other emerging stars the Chinese outside hiter Xu Ruoya and Serbia’s captain Busa Bianka were the most prominent with both leading the scorers marking 43 points, but still the competition has more to introduce for future stars.
The coaches of the top eight teams have everything ready for the second round with their last training session on the rest day and they are all optimistic to continue the way towards the crown.
“In this kind of competition there’s no time, one loss and you’re out. In the second round we will face team like Turkey, and this will be an opportunity to play in front of thousands of people,” Argentina coach Guillermo Caceres said happily as he was leaving the court after finishing the first round in the second position of Pool B.
On the other hand China coach Mang Chen refused to consider his team as the biggest contenders for the crown. “I want to ask my players to keep coming up in the second round because it will more difficult for us than the first round,” he said.
Second Round Pools
Places 1-8
Pool E - Baskent Sports Hall: Argentina, China, Germany, Turkey
Pool F - Baskent Sports Hall: Brazil, Japan, Poland, Serbia
Places 9-16
Pool G - Ankara Sports Hall: Egypt, Slovakia, Thailand, USA
Pool F - Ankara Sports Hall: Algeria, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico
On Tuesday, defending champions Brazil will take on Serbia, who finished second in Pool C, in their first second-round match in Pool F while hosts and world No. 5 Turkey face Germany in Pool E after the team of head coach Jens Tietböhl qualified from the strong Pool D. Argentina face a tough match against China and Poland play world No. 4 Japan.
Match schedule for Tuesday, August 16
Pool E
China (13) v Argentina (19) at 15.00
Turkey (5) v Germany (7) at 17.30
Pool F
Brazil (1) v Serbia (9) at 12.30
Poland (29) v Japan (4) at 20.00
Pool G
Egypt (10) v Thailand (14) at 12.30
Slovakia (28) v USA (2) at 15.00
Pool H
Algeria (17) v Italy (12) at 17.30
Mexico (10) v Puerto Rico (21) at 20.00
First Round Pool Standings
Pool A (Baskent Sports Hall): Turkey 9, Poland 6, Egypt 3, Algeria 0
Pool B (Ankara Sports Hall): Brazil 9, Argentina 5, Mexico 3, Slovakia 1
Pool C (Baskent Sports Hall): China 9, Serbia 6, USA 3, Puerto Rico 0
Pool D (Ankara Sports Hall): Japan 8, Germany 7, Italy 3, Thailand 0
Highest Scorer after First Round
1. Xu Ruoya (China) 43
Busa Bianka (Serbia) 43
3. Geerties Jennifer (Germany) 41
4. Gabriela (Brazil) 40
Cikiriz Natasa (Serbia) 40
Highest Set Score in First Round
31-29 (GER v ITA in Pool D) played on August 14
Highest Scoring Match in First Round
207 points (SVK v ARG in Pool B) played on August 13
Longest Match in First Round
132 minutes (JPN v GER in Pool D) played on August 13
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