Match Report – Match 4 – vs Air Asia Thailand

Australia defeated Air Asia Thailand in 3 sets 25:21, 25:23, 25:23 after a sluggish start. The girls are now qualified for the play off for 5th place at 4pm local time (8pm AEST) Sunday 26/02/2012

Set 1: Sloane Skipper Jensen Day Orchard(c) Godfrey Choat(L)

Thailand with strong start, hitting well off Aussie blocks. Timeout Australia 1-6.  Technical timeout 2-8. Hand on for Sloane. Winner from Orchard 3-10. Frostick on for Skipper.

Good rally goes Thailands way with ball just long from Frostick 4-14. Aussies getting some momentum with winners from Day and Orchard 9-16. Strong block from Jensen. Backcourt roll shot winner from Frostick 13-16.  Aussies get the lead 19-18. Good work from Godfrey 20-18. Serve long from Thai 23-20. Australia wins first set 25-21

Set 2: Godfrey Hand Frostick Jensen Day Orchard(c) Choat(L)

Even start to second set 6-6.  Service ace from Orchard and Aussies lead into technical timeout 8-6. Couple of errors by Aussies but then they find their mojo again 12-9. Smith on for Frostick front court. Great line winner from position four by Day 15-10. Thailand trying to bridge the gap. Good offensive play by Australia. Timeout thailand 19-13. Middle ball from Godfrey just out. Australia call timeout 19-16. Service errors and winners from both teams 23-22.  Aussies win a close set 25-23.

Set 3: Godfrey Hand Frostick Jensen Day Orchard(c) Choat(L)

Good start from Australia 3-0. Sloane on for Hand. Aussies have slender lead at first technical timeout 8-6. Thailand level it up 9-9. Australia trying to establish a rhythm. Hand on for Sloane. Thailand with a tip winner. Timeout Australia 11-14. Winner from Heike Jensen through middle and then an error from Thailand. Service ace Thailand. Technical timeout 14-16. Tip winner from Hand. Teams trading points. Thailand holding their advantage 17-20. Timeout Australia 17-21. Good defense by Australia sets Day up for hitting winner. Timeout thailand 20-22. Smith on for Frostick. Winner from Smith then Jensen to level scores 22-22. Set point to Australia after good transition play. Aussies win third set 25-23.

Australia was sluggish at the start. Good setting from Hand and strong blocking from Godfrey helped bridging a 10 points gap at 4-14 and eventually won the first set 25-21. From then on Australia was in command as Thailand made numerous errors due to great pressure from the Australians serving and blocking.

Stats:

Serving: 6 aces/3 errors – Jensen and Orchard 2 aces each

Passing: 2.07 (56% perfect) – Orchard 2.3 (50% perfect) Choat 2.12 (58% perfect) Frostick 2.14 (64% perfect)

Blocking: 14 block kills – Day and Godfrey (6 assists) Jensen (5 assists)

Spiking: 36 kills/14 errors at 26% – Day 8 kills/1 error 54% – Godfrey 8 kills/3 errors 39% – Jensen 6 kills/2 errors 31%