JIANGMEN, China, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China beat defending champions Japan 3-2 to claim the Asian Women's U20 Volleyball Championships title here on Tuesday, ending an 8-year trophy drought.
China led 13-5 in the last set, before Japan won five straight points to narrow the gap to only three points. After a time-out, China retrieved their determination to earn a match point and cashed in with an ace.
Japan won the first set 25-23 after a close contest, before China put their noses in front by taking straight sets 25-21, 25-17. A must-win set saw Japan stormed to a 25-14 victory to pull the match level.
"It was pretty rocky for us in the beginning, but we started to enjoy the match after adjusting our mentality. It was not easy for us to win the title," China's captain Wang Yidi, who won the MVP of the event said after the match.
China had been waiting for the title for eight years after beating Japan in 2016. China had lost to Japan in the final two years ago.
"We were fighting as one tonight. Although we experienced up and downs in the match, we won it and we will be more confident. I see many hopes in these girls, in both technical and mental, they are the future," China's coach Kuang Qi said.
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