Hangzhou Asian Games: Defending champions China claimed their 10th gold medal in Asian Games women's volleyball with a 3-0 victory over Japan in the final in Nagoya on Tuesday.
The teams traded points early in the first set. Midway through the set, China gradually pulled ahead and sealed a 25-19 win.
China maintained a narrow lead throughout the second set. Both sides ramped up the intensity, staging several long rallies before China closed out the set 25-20, Xinhua reports.
Japan cranked up its attack at the start of the third set, jumping out to a 7-1 lead, forcing China to call a timeout. China then reset its rhythm and leveraged its serving and blocking strengths to tie the score at 19-19. After four deuces, China sealed the set 25-23 to claim the match.
Earlier, China edged past Thailand 3-2 in Monday's semifinal, avenging their loss in last month's Asian Women's Volleyball Championship final and advancing to the gold-medal match against Japan. In the day's other semifinal, Japan beat South Korea 3-0.
China beat Japan in straight sets at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.
Earlier, China edged past Thailand 3-2 in Monday's semifinal, avenging their loss in last month's Asian Women's Volleyball Championship final and advancing to the gold-medal match against Japan. In the day's other semifinal, Japan beat South Korea 3-0.
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Earlier, China, Japan, Thailand and South Korea, along with Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei, had made it to the quarterfinals, coming through their respective preliminary groups in the 14-team competition, with two groups of three teams each and the other two of four.