(Montreal) Vicky Savard and her teammates on the Canadian volleyball team moved closer to qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games on Thursday, thanks to a victorious comeback against the Japanese in the Nations League.
The Canadians lost the first two rounds 25-23 and 25-22 against the local team, who are also looking for their ticket to play in the French capital this summer.
Head coach Shannon Winzer’s team then forced the tiebreaker by winning the next two sets, 25-20 and 25-21. She closed the books by winning 16-14 at the end of the game.
“This is a big victory for us,” Shannon Winzer told the Canadian federation. We knew we had to be patient on offense and work hard on defense around our counterattacks. After losing the first two rounds by a close score, we found our rhythm and confidence in the third and went for it from there. We had a great team effort today (Thursday)! »
Their protégés also dominated at the net by making 13 blocks, compared to 6 in the Japanese camp. They also led in scoring attacks with a score of 68-67.
This victory proves crucial for the Maple Leaf players who currently occupy eighth place in the general standings of the Nations League with a record of 6 wins and 4 losses. The top eight teams will advance to the elimination round.
The clash against the Netherlands will be of great importance on Friday, since the Dutch are only one victory behind the Canadians. The latter will conclude the preliminary phase on Sunday against the French. Meanwhile, the representatives of the Netherlands will face the South Koreans, 34th in the world.
As for Olympic qualification, Canada and the Netherlands are battling for the fifth and final available ticket, adding a crucial stake to Friday’s duel.
