News / Sports

Iran volleyball team cruises into semifinals of Asian junior championship

Friday, 15 July 2016 6:02 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 15 July 2016 6:03 PM ]

Members of Iran men's national junior volleyball team celebrate their win over Kazakhstan at the quarterfinal round of the 18th edition of the Asian Men's U20 Volleyball Championship in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei, on July 15, 2016.

Iran men's national junior volleyball team has earned a spot in the semi-final round of the 18th edition of the Asian Men's U20 Volleyball Championship in Chinese Taipei, clinching an impressive win over the Kazakh squad.

On Friday, the Persians ruled out the Central Asians 3-0 (25-18, 25-13 and 25-9) in a quarterfinal fixture staged at the indoor Kaohsiung Arena in the city of Kaohsiung, southwestern Taiwan, to advance to the next stage of the tournament.

The Iranian volleyball players opened the match energetically, and racked up points to surge ahead and enter the first technical timeout 8-3. The Kazakh team sought to narrow the deficit but failed, and defending champions were 16-10 ahead at the second technical timeout. The Iranians eventually grabbed the first set by 25 points to 18.

The Iranian side sustained its momentum into the second set, and could notch up a 25-13 victory despite intermittent fightback from the opposite side.

The Persians, seeing themselves only a few inches away from semi-finals, did not waver from their resolve to win and exerted overwhelming dominance over the court to snatch the third set 25-9.

Captain Rasoul Aghcheli led Iran with 18 points. Iran is scheduled to take on Japan on Saturday for a place in the final.

The 18th edition of the Asian Men's U20 Volleyball Championship kicked off in Kaohsiung on July 9 and will wrap up on July 17.

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