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China overcome Cuba for Int'l title at women's volleyball
Olympic and World Cup double champions China came back from one set down to beat Cuba 3-1 on Friday in Dalian to claim the title of the PetroChina KunLun Cup China International Women's Volleyball Tournament. The host team were taken one and a half hours to wrap up the fifth straight victories at the seven-team tournament 22-25, 26-24, 25-16, 25-20.
The 21-year-old Chu Jinling had 17 points to lead China on 14 hits, a block and two aces, while Yang Hao gained 15 points, and Zhang Ping and Liu Yanan added 12 and 10 respectively. Wang Yimei, 17, and Ma Yunwen, 18, didnot spark as they were in the last three games, but still had six points apiece.
After looking sluggish and losing the opening set without any efficient block, China evened the match with a second set rally. Trailing 9-5 after Charro Yaima Ortiz served an ace for Cuba, the Chinese women gradually found their tune with a timeout called by head coach Chen, launched some excellent offense with a sequence involving their key youngster Ma Yunwen and managed a first tie on 14-14. Cuba ran 6-2 to take again the lead 19-16, but China wound up to tie the scores twice before claiming the last two points of the set by forcing a hitting error from Cuba's star winger Luaces Yumilka Ruiz as well as a violation of the rules during the opponent's defence. The Cuba side, whose Olympic winning streak was snapped by China in last August's Games in Athens, returned to the court with apparent panic after leveled 1-1, allowed China to take a 5-1 lead in the third set and seemed never recovered before easily losing 25-16. China, however, kept its unstopped scoring vein in the fourth set. Backed on a 8-2 run at the right beginning of the set, the host team, who took their first world title in 17 years at the 2003 World Cup in Japan and then continued to claim the Olympic gold medal in 2004, held on to win the last set 25-20. "Fortunate for us that we found our rhythm after losing the first set," said Chen. "In the first two sets, we nearly built successful blocks and only had three chances to beat back." "I don't think China performed badly in the first set, but they played better and better," responded Cuban head coach Blet Luis Calderon. "China's performance in the last five matches were same good, and that's why they claimed the title." "Cuba were not prepared well for the final and got exhausted following the two tournament here and last week at Beilun, while China is a strong opponent at any time," he added. The Netherlands rallied to beat Japan 3-2 earlier on Friday for the bronze medal.
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![Chinese women's volleyball players celebrate on the stand after winning the PetroChina KunLun Cup China International Women's Volleyball Tournament in Dalian, on Friday, June 3, 2005.[Xinhua]](xin_550602041038414504617.jpg)
