Pacific Mini-Games looks ahead to volleyball finals
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New Caledonia men's team execute a block against the Wallis and Futuna team |
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Wallis Island, Wallis and Fortuna,
September 8, 2013 – The finals of the 2013 Pacific Mini Games Volleyball
tournament are fast approaching after a whirlwind week of activity on the
volleyball courts in the magnificent new Kafika stadium on the island of Wallis
in the Pacific French Territory of Wallis and Futuna.
On day one, Tahiti, long-time Pacific Games
women’s champions, lost their match to New Caledonia in a thrilling five setter
3-2 (19-25, 25-20, 18-25, 25-23, 15- 8) after the New Caledonian defence counteracted the spiking power of the Tahitian
women. Tahiti’s captain and former French international player Valeria Vaki,
showed her strength at the net while the young Kahaialani Taliraa came off the bench
to score valuable points for Tahiti. However, New Caledonia’s team coordination
paid off well and open hitter Ramona Aritoehau produced a very strong game.
With Fiji’s women unbeaten after three
matches against Wallis & Futuna, Papua New Guinea and Nauru, the next round
promises to by an exciting one as they get set to meet New Caledonia.
In the men’s competition, Papua New Guinea
have chalked up three wins and are looking strong to make the final after a
good 3-1 win over Wallis and Futuna in front of a packed house of very vocal
supporters for both teams. This match was a replay of the 2011 Pacific Games
semi-final, which Wallis and Futuna won on their way to winning the gold medal.
But in 2013, it was Papua New Guinea that
came into its own, dominating the Wallis and Futuna attackers with their block.
However, in the second Wallis and Fortuna came back strongly with their captain
Vitali Tupou attacking with power and entertaining the crowd as he celebrated
the point. The third set went point for point with Papua New Guinea coming back
in to win the critical points and the set 26-24. Papua New Guinea came out strong in the fourth
set and managed to build and maintain a comfortable lead taking the set 25-21
and the match.
The tournament is being played in a round
robin format with all six men’s teams and all seven women’s teams playing each
other in pool play with the top two ranked teams playing off for the gold medal
and the third and fourth teams for the bronze. The women’s match on Monday will
be played between Tahiti and Fiji while the men’s match on Monday will take
place between New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea.
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