Sri Lanka secure fifth place
by Sajeewa Jayakody
Sri Lanka Youth spikers recorded a thrilling 3-2 win over Korea to
take the fifth place in a Playoff match on the final day of the 10th
Asian Youth Volleyball Championship at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium
courts yesterday.
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Korean captain number 15 Jeongho Kim is air-borne after
spiking as Sri Lanka’s number 10 Lakshan Sudasinghe, number
1 Anjula Panawala and number 4 Rehan Fernando go up in
defence. |
It marked Sri Lanka's best performance in a Asian Youth Volleyball
Championship after their previous best performance in 2012 winning the
sixth place in Chengdu, China.
The five-set game ended in a controversial manner as Korean captain
Kim Jeongho lost his cool and protested with the First Referee Vahid
Pourkashian of Iran, who awarded for Sri Lanka, when the Sri Lankan
defender Vinod Peiris intercepted a full blooded smash.
After the two teams had won two sets each, the hosts clinched the
decisive fifth set by 23-21 after some fluctuating fortunes amidst
approximately 2,000 spectators.
The Koreans started the first set on a high note winning by 25-21.
In the first set, Sri Lanka came back fighting with a lead of 19-14.
But Koreans finished the set with a 25-21 win.
Then the Lankan fought back to lead by 8-4 before the first technical
timeout. They were 16-10 in the second technical timeout and went onto
secure the set by 25-21.
In a thrilling fourth set, the Koreans ended with a 25-23 win.
Sri Lankans were victorious after a nail-biting finish, which lasted
after fluctuating fortunes for both sides and the Lankans won the last
set 23-21.
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