Taipei, Chinese Taipei, September 28, 2008 --- Japan put up a classy performance to completely demolish host Chinese Taipei in straight sets (25-18, 25-17, 25-23) in the final of the 14th Asian Women’s Junior Volleyball Championship and clinched the title in the women’s junior division after 28 years. In the bronze medal match China defeated Korea 3-0(25-23, 25-22, 25-13). Japan, Chinese Taipei and China, as the top three finishers, booked the tickets to the 2009 World Women’s Junior Volleyball Championship which is to be held in Mexico.

This is the first title of Asian Women’s Junior Volleyball clinched by Japan since 1990 when they won the gold medal at the fifth edition. Since then all the gold medals were taken by China women’s junior players from 1992 sixth edition to 2006 13th edition.

The final match of the 2008 Asian Women’s Junior Volleyball Championships was staged in a huge packed and frenzy arena in the T.U.C. Hall in Taipei, trying to boost the local girls to an incredible feat, despite the strongest typhoon invading the area this year.

Japan started off the match with real speed and the host girls were completely overpowered. With Minemura Saki’s spikes and non-penetrable blocking, added on by Nagaoka Miyu’s left-handed spikes and several self-produced errors of Chinese Taipei’s side, Japan took the first set 25-18 and continued to lead in the second set. Yet, led by the experienced head coach Sakakuchi Norimasa, Chinese Taipei leveled the points 10-10 thanks to some damaging serves delivered by Chang Bo Yu. But Japan, fast at their feet, displayed wonderful defense skills and eventually obtained the second set 25-17. In the fight-or-die third set, Chinese Taipei battled with Japan untill the last moment, but was still unable to turn the situation in favor of themselves; losing the set 23-25 and the match.

. “My team had an un-erred game today,” said Japan head coach Aihara Noboru after the victory, but Chinese Taipei also did an incredible work this time, especially for their winning over China.”

Head coach of Chinese Taipei, Sakakuchi Norimasa commented on his team’s performance “The players were too contended with their triumph over China yesterday, and that’s why they lost today. Nevertheless, these players definitely have enough potential to create a new period in the history of volleyball here.”

Defending champion China and the 5th place last time Korea both tried their best in order to enter the top three and also for the ticket to the World Junior Women’s Championship. The shorter Korean girls had to use a combination of many attacking strategies to cope with their taller rivals. In the first two sets, both teams fought hard against each other, and the scores were very close. Yet the taller Chinese apparantly had big edge over their opponents, and snatched the sets 25-23, 25-22. The third set became one-sided as China frequently fired powerful spikes against Korea and won the set 25-13 with ease and also the match

.In playoff matches for the 5th to 8th places, Thailand beat Indonesia 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-17) fot the 5th while Kazakhstan defeated New Zealand 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-17) for the seventh.

Final rankings:

1. Japan

2. Chinese Taipei

3. China

4. Korea

5. Thailand

6. Indonesia

7. Kazakhstan

8. New Zealand

9. Australia

10. India

11. Sri Lanka

Individual Awards:

Best Spiker: Chen Shih Ting (Chinese Taipei)

Best Setter: Kawai Yuki (Japan)

Best Server: Joo Yea Na (Korea)

Best Scorer: Chen Wan Ting (Chinese Taipei)

Best Blocker: Yang Junjin (China)

Best Libero Player: Inoue Kotoe (Japan)

Most Valuable Player: Kawai Yuki (Japan)