Thai volleyball wonders pull off upset win over world No 8 Dominican Republic
Preechachan Wiriyanupappong
The Nation 

 

Thailand

 

BANGKOK: -- Determined Thailand thrilled home fans with a gutsy performance and excellent teamwork to pull off a hard-fought four-set 25-17 25-23 20-25 25-23 victory against in-form Dominican Republic in their opening FIVB World Grand Prix Pool G clash at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium yesterday.

World No 12 and Asian champions Thailand opened aggressively against the world No 8 team, to whom they had lost four of their five matches in FIVB-sanctioned competitions.

Key spiker Pleumjit Thinkaow, who sustained a right injury in training ahead of Thailand's Pool F encounters in Hong Kong, returned to the court. She combined well with Wilavan Apinyapong and powerful Onuma Sittirak to score crucial points and help put the hosts in front 14-8.

The Pan American Cup winners found their rhythm and counter-attacked to claim four straight points to reduce the lead to 12-14. Cheered on lustily by drum-beating, screaming home fans, the Thai squad started striking form.

With Onuma methodically penetrating the Dominican defence with her spectacular spikes and Wilavan and Pleumjit producing solid blocks, Thailand sealed the first set 25-17.

Thailand took complete control at the beginning of the second set after taking a 6-0 lead. The Dominicans, whose average height is 184cm against the Thais' 174cm, utilised their height to great advantage to attack devastatingly and block effectively to narrow the margin at 8-13. Their confidence boosted, the formidable visitors stormed ahead to grab four successive points for a 12-13 margin and caught up at 17-17, thanks largely to the 200cm Elizabeth Brayelin Martinez's sharp spikes.

From then on, the Dominicans showed excellent defence at the net. Stubborn blocking by Annerys Victoria Vargas Valdez and Elizabeth Brayeliin Martinez and powerful attacks from Gina Altagracia and Mambru Casilla gave the visitors vital points. As the Dominicans closed the margin at 23-23, Martinez's erratic spike and Malika Kanthong's devastating cross-court spike ended the visitors' challenge. Thailand took the hard-fought set 25-23 and a 2-0 lead.

Down two sets, the Dominicans tightened their defence and fought back to lead 4-0 in the third set. Thailand brought on fresh players, including Tapaphaipun Chaisri, but still found the taller rivals too strong in this set to go down fighting 20-25.

Thailand fielded a strong line-up in the fourth set - all of them had played in the team that won the 2009 and 2013 Asian Championship. They included Malika Kanthong, Pleumjit, Wilavan and Onuma. The fired-up Thais performed exceptionally well to take a commanding 16-11 lead and stretched it to 17-12. The Dominicans clawed their way back to 21-23. Thailand, who claimed their first win over world No 7 Serbia in Suwon, South Korea, counter-attacked to win the two decisive points for their second victory in the 2014 World Grand Prix.

"Great to beat them. I admit that it's not easy for us to beat the Dominicans. They always come up with good blocking. They could not play well today. It might be because they're still suffering from the long-haul flight and jetlag," said Thai head coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai.

The USA were to take on Brazil in a later match yesterday. Today, the USA play Thailand and Brazil play Dominica. Channel 7 has the live action from 4.30pm.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/sports/Thai-volleyball-wonders-pull-off-upset-win-over-wo-30241064.html

 

[thenation]2014-08-16[/thenation]

Well good for them, It takes a lot of work to play V-ball at an international level. Especially if you a have a height disadvantage.

Those Dominican gals were tall!  And big.  I watched a bit of it last night.  Great game.  And very close.  The game with China a few nights ago was very good also.

Congratulations ladies, Thailand is proud of you.

Great game, congratulations. But since when is it a wonder and upset that the twelfth ranked team beats no. 8? Not to forget the home advantage. 

Great game, congratulations. But since when is it a wonder and upset that the twelfth ranked team beats no. 8? Not to forget the home advantage. 

When the average height for a women in one of the countries is about 5ft 2.

Great win Thailand. Now for the US.

^^ sour?

 

Thailand also beat work World #7, Serbia, played in South Korea.

 

It's a tough tournament for all the teams; Thai v #2 ranked USA tonight, USA played/lost a 5-set match v Brazil last night (29-31, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-9), so both teams had long matches and playing again within 24hrs

 

Current world rankings (top 12 of 113 competing nations at Jan 2014)

 

1 Brazil 

2 USA

3 Japan 

4 Italy

5 China 

6 Russia

7 Serbia 

8 Dominican. Rep.

9 Germany

10 Republic of Korea 

11 Turkey

12 Thailand

 

I'm enjoying the games; having played, and later coached, and the Thai games have become quite a social event (but very noisy) either hosting or going to neighbours homes to watch. Earplugs recommended!

 

Gen Prayuth reschedules his talks to the nation to accommodate live volleyball - even he knows the limits of his power. 

Edited August 16, 201411 yr by gomangosteen

I've watched a couple of games when the Thai team played, they are a pretty decent team. Probably lost most of the games due to height disadvantage.

Big volleyball fan, would love to go to see them play, but the tickets were sold out within one hour... Typical or what..

Those Dominican gals were tall!  And big.  I watched a bit of it last night.  Great game.  And very close.  The game with China a few nights ago was very good also.

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but the power play of our ladies was terrific--SO BUTCH  They have a coach dedicated to the girls and his country , he creates passion--big guy though works well eats well   I watched all last year when the won the (was it Asian) championship, go gals, just to add brill for the general to note the achievement.  ginjag

^^ sour?
 
Thailand also beat work World #7, Serbia, played in South Korea.
 
It's a tough tournament for all the teams; Thai v #2 ranked USA tonight, USA played/lost a 5-set match v Brazil last night (29-31, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-9), so both teams had long matches and playing again within 24hrs
 
Current world rankings (top 12 of 113 competing nations at Jan 2014)
 
1 Brazil 
2 USA
3 Japan 
4 Italy
5 China 
6 Russia
7 Serbia 
8 Dominican. Rep.
9 Germany
10 Republic of Korea 
11 Turkey
12 Thailand
 
I'm enjoying the games; having played, and later coached, and the Thai games have become quite a social event (but very noisy) either hosting or going to neighbours homes to watch. Earplugs recommended!
 
Gen Prayuth reschedules his talks to the nation to accommodate live volleyball - even he knows the limits of his power. 

555 If you think its noisy on TV come to see it live, great to watch and only B 100 to B 300 for a ticket (if you can get one, was sold out within half an hour). Its one of the events where Thailand unites, rich and poor, red and yellow, young and old and farang (few of us) and Thai.

Big volleyball fan, would love to go to see them play, but the tickets were sold out within one hour... Typical or what..

 

Yes, sold out within one hour, and did you notice all of the empty seats? Even at courtside there were many, seemingly available. This hugely popular team could sell out a venue twice the size of that arena. (It is a very nice facility, but only holds 15,000.  I hope one day they will play in Chiang Mai, or at least come here for a victory parade.
 

It was great to see Pleumjit back in the lineup, and playing like her old self. She is the driving wheel of that front line. They beat a very good Dominican squad, which was a better team than either the Chinese or Japanese teams that pummeled our ladies last weekend in Hong Kong. Height alone does not ensure victory. Speed, stamina, skill, and a bit of luck are all important factors.

 

Go Ladies!

 

^^ sour?

 

Thailand also beat work World #7, Serbia, played in South Korea.

 

It's a tough tournament for all the teams; Thai v #2 ranked USA tonight, USA played/lost a 5-set match v Brazil last night (29-31, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-9), so both teams had long matches and playing again within 24hrs

 

Current world rankings (top 12 of 113 competing nations at Jan 2014)

 

1 Brazil 

2 USA

3 Japan 

4 Italy

5 China 

6 Russia

7 Serbia 

8 Dominican. Rep.

9 Germany

10 Republic of Korea 

11 Turkey

12 Thailand

 

I'm enjoying the games; having played, and later coached, and the Thai games have become quite a social event (but very noisy) either hosting or going to neighbours homes to watch. Earplugs recommended!

 

Gen Prayuth reschedules his talks to the nation to accommodate live volleyball - even he knows the limits of his power. 

 

Very well done.

 

Good for the ladies, and good for Thailand, and good for the General for being as one with the people.

it took me a while...did anyone else notice there was a volleyball in the photo?

excellent result for the team, the coach has them playing very well at the moment. As an ex player, national referee & coach I follow this sport always. Still one of the best sports to watch for entertainment with the top teams playing, would like to see them change back to some of the older style attacks though, I reckon a few dummy chooks with shoot balls would really puzzle the blockers.

Nice work gals.

Great game against the US on Channel 7 now, looks like it's going down to the wire.

Come on girls! 

Today vs USA: Thai ladies went toe to toe with the best, and almost pulled off a monster upset. Lost a close first set, then won decisively in sets 2 and 3, and then, it looked like a different team took the floor in set 4. Coach K apparently read the writing on the wall and sent in the relief troops early. A strong start in the shortened set 5, and then things went slip-sliding away. Still, a great effort and some very gutsy play. Hoping  for a miracle tomorrow against Brazil, World Number One. You never know...

it took me a while...did anyone else notice there was a volleyball in the photo?

Think it was tight squeeze with photoshop to get the ball in. ;)

I'm shocked that Thailand can put such a good womens volleyball team together considering the total lack of interest and athleticism the girls show in my PE lessons.