The bustling city of Ningbo in China became the center stage for the Women’s Olympic Qualifiers Pool A competition. It was a day of predictable highs and lows, with some of the previous day’s losers turning their fates around, while favorites maintained their dominance.
The Netherlands and the Dominican Republic, both stung by losses in their initial matches, came back with renewed vigor. The Dutch team overcame the Czech Republic in a straight-set victory, propelled by the excellent gameplay of outside hitter Nika Daalderop who garnered a total of 18 points. They wrapped up the match with scores of 25-13, 25-18, and 25-21.
The Dominican Republic faced a more challenging match against Canada but managed to pull through in a tie-breaker. With set scores of 25-17, 22-25, 23-25, 25-18, and 15-12, the Dominican side emerged victorious. Standout players included Gaila Gonzalez and Alexa Gray, each with 25 points, Kiera Van Ryk with 23 points, and Brayelin Martinez with 20.
Serbia, the bronze medalists from the Tokyo Games, presented a masterclass in volleyball, thrashing Ukraine in a clean 3-0 sweep. The spotlight once again shone on Tijana Bošković, who amassed a staggering 22 points for her team. This marked Serbia’s second consecutive win, having previously defeated Mexico.
Equally dominant, China showed no signs of slowing down as they dispatched Mexico with a score of 3-0. Yuan Xinyue and Li Yingying were the top scorers for the Chinese team, both tallying 13 points each.
With the action heating up and only the top two teams from the Ningbo tournament advancing to the 2024 Paris Games, all eyes are now on the forthcoming matches. The question on everyone’s mind: Can Serbia and China maintain their perfect records as they square off against increasingly formidable opponents?
Results of the 2nd round:
- Netherlands vs. Czechia 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-21)
- Dominican Republic vs. Canada 3-2 (25-17, 22-25, 23-25, 25-18, 15-12)
- Serbia vs. Ukraine 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-16)
- China vs. Mexico 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-7)
